Changes in Soil Physical Properties and Available Micronutrients as Influenced by Tillage and Weed Management Strategies under Diversified Cropping System

Author: Knight Nthebere, T. Ram Prakash, G. Jayasree, B. Padmaja, A. Meena and P.C. Latha

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Abstract

The degradation of the soil caused by intensive tillage operations is a considerable solicitude for the sustainable crop production in Southern Telangana Zone (STZ), India. The farmers have adopted cotton and maize production under conventional agricultural practices which is well-known to have a bearing on soil depletion. Thus, conservation agriculture (CA) practices are necessitated to monitor the changes on important soil physical properties viz., soil particle size distribution (soil texture), soil bulk density (SBD), maximum water holding capacity (MWHC), total porosity (TP) and soil available DTPA extractable micronutrients viz., manganese (Mn), iron (Fe), copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) as influenced by tillage practices and weed management options after harvest of monsoon cotton and winter maize crops (after third year) with CA. Three tillages (main treatments); T1: conventional (CT) – conventional (CT) – fallow, T2: CT – zero tillage (ZT) – zero tillage (ZT) and T3: triple ZT + residue retention (R) and weed management (sub-treatments): herbicides (W1 and W2), W3: integrated weed management (IWM) and W4: unweeded were laid in split-plot design. soil samples collected at 0 –15 cm, post-harvest of monsoon cotton and winter maize were analysed for soil physical properties and available micronutrients and SBD was determined in-field at 0 –15 and 15 – 30 cm soil depth by following the standard protocols. The salient findings were: higher availability of DTPA extractable micronutrients in the order; Fe > Mn > Zn > Cu in monsoon cotton than winter maize after harvest, greater MWHC (8.05% – 8.43%), SBD (5.38% – 11.51%) in 0 – 15 cm after maize, but reduced SBD (4.88%) in 15 – 30 cm soil depth after cotton, and a reduction in TP (3.66% – 6.68%) under conservation tillage (T3) by both crops compared to the initial values and T1. The soil textural class was sandy clay loam. Weed management treatments did not have any significant variation in general. These results indicate the advocacy of conservation tillage (T3) as a win-win for restoring the degraded soils in STZ of India.

Keywords

Soil health, Soil quality, Conservation Agriculture, Soil degradation, Soil properties, Conservation tillage

Conclusion

Conservation tillage (T3) enhanced all DTPA extractable micronutrients with manganese (Mn) and iron (Fe) contents higher than copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn), increased maximum water holding capacity (MWHC), soil bulk density (SBD) after maize, but reduced SBD (15 – 30 cm soil depth) after cotton, and decreased total porosity (TP) after harvest of both crops compared to the initial values and other tillage practices. Soil texture was classified into sandy loam soil. The influence of weed management on some soil physical properties and soil micronutrients availability remain unknown. Thus, this current study gives an idea about best management practices to be followed as far as tillage and weed management practices are concerned for maintaining soil health, reducing soil degradation and sustaining crop production under cotton – maize – Sesbania rotation systems.

References

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How to cite this article

Knight Nthebere, T. Ram Prakash, G. Jayasree, B. Padmaja, A. Meena and P.C. Latha (2023). Changes in Soil Physical Properties and Available Micronutrients as Influenced by Tillage and Weed Management Strategies under Diversified Cropping System. Biological Forum – An International Journal, 15(9): 131-140.