Various factors such as meteorological conditions, land use history, plant functional type, and management approaches can have a substantial impact on carbon and nitrogen dynamics in agro ecosystems. This study highlights how different land use patterns and crop management approaches affect the depth-wise distribution of soil organic carbon (SOC) and total nitrogen (TN) in agricultural lands. The investigation was place on three distinct agricultural farms in Anand, Gujarat. Three different types of selected land use patterns were viz. i) Wheat-pearl millet farm (seasonal cropping with one year crop rotation) ii) Banana farm (seasonal cropping with two years crop rotation) and iii) Amla orchard (perennial cropping standing for last fifteen years). The data generated through the present study suggest that plant functional type significantly alters the vertical distribution of SOC and TN. Though SOC at upper layer may be affected by chemical fertilizers and tilling process, but below 20

Sequestration, Soil organic carbon, Soil profile, Total nitrogen, Vertical distribution.

The current study shows that composite interactions of combined soil management practices (e.g., degree of tillage, crop plant change, and fertilizer input) affect distinct qualitative and quantitative changes in SOC and TN availability in the soil profile. Relative distribution of SOC (%) at lower depth was highest in amla orchard, intermediate in banana farm, and it was lowest in pearl millet farm. These recorded data suggest that nutrient utilization by the agricultural crops; root distributions and frequency of disturbance affect the vertical distribution of SOC with depth. As a result of these findings, we can conclude that plant deep root distribution patterns leave distinct impressions on the distribution patterns of soil organic carbon and total nitrogen with depth due to changes in allocation. Thus, there is a great scope for better agricultural practices for efficient use of the whole soil profile such as use of cultivars with deeper and improved root systems. Management pra

Pathak, P. and Reddy, A.S. (2021). What Regulates Soil Organic Carbon and Total Nitrogen in Agrifarms ? Biological Forum – An International Journal, 13(2): 606-614.