Study on soil organic carbon dynamics and its different pools in maize crop (Zea mays L.) under different agricultural practices in semiarid region of Punjab, India
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Abstract
The soil organic carbon (SOC) is a vital resource whose presence or absence can determine the quality of soils. The sustainability potential of soils can be unlocked with the presence of SOC. The present study aimed to evaluate the implications of different agricultural field practices on the soil organic carbon, its various fractions, and the soil organic carbon stocks in the semiarid region of Phagwara (Punjab) with a maize variety (Suvarna NMH-589). Soil samples were collected from all the treatments (T0, T1, T2, T3, …, T9) at two soil depths, ‘a’ (0-15 cm) and ‘b’ (15-30 cm), during the experimental period of 2022-23 and 2023-24. Analyses were performed on the soils collected at 0 DAS (days after sowing), 45 DAS and 90 DAS. A pooled mean data of the analysis revealed that the total organic carbon (TOC) was maximum in the straw mulching treatment T1 (7.87, 9.40, 11.50, along with increasing DAS). Values of TOC ranged from 5.48-11.05 g kg-1 and 4.16-7.93 g kg-1 at the surface and subsurface layers during the experimental periods. The oxidizable soil organic carbon (SOC) ranged from 3.67-6.07 g kg-1 and 2.62-4.63 g kg-1 at soil depths ‘a’ and ‘b’, respectively. There was the suggestive notion that the incorporation of organic matter and its decomposition has a positive effect towards increasing the organic carbon content in soils. The SOC stocks also fluctuated in a range of 7.26- 11.51 Mg ha-1 and 9.69-19.23 Mg ha-1 at the different soil depths ‘a’ and ‘b’. Differential accumulation of biomass in the surface and subsurface layers was the driving factor for such a range in the values obtained. The carbon fractions also fluctuated during the experimental periods. It was concluded that different agricultural practices greatly influenced the organic carbon dynamics in soil. The agricultural practices that could boost SOC could improve crop productivity, improve nutrient transformation, and act as a sink for CO2 in the soil.
Article Details
Article Details
Carbon fractions, Soil health, Soil organic carbon, Soil organic carbon stocks, Total organic carbon
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