Influence of integrated nutrient management on soil health, growth and yield of paddy in “jhum lands” of north-eastern Himalayas

The shifting agriculture (popularly known as ‘Jhum’) in north-eastern Himalayas is plagued by substantial reduction in paddy yield and soil quality. The region’s paddy yield and soil condition may be improved by the use of right integrated nutrient management (INM) technology on the jhum lands. We used 7 treatments replicated thrice in a randomized block design (RBD) to evaluate the soil health and yield of direct-seeded upland paddy (Oryza sativa L.) in this study. The results showed that the combination of inorganic fertilization, organic manure, and bio-fertilizers (T5) significantly (P < 0.05) increased paddy height, number of tillers hill−1, number of grains panicle−1 and test seed weight. Simultaneously, these combined treatments significantly increased soil organic carbon and available Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P) and Potassium (K) contents. All the soil chemical properties except the soil pH significantly (p < 0.05; n = 7) affected various growth and yield parameters of paddy. The INM of organic manure and bio-fertilizers (T7) significantly enhanced the soil’s biological properties. Thus, INM technology is recommended to enhance paddy yield while sustaining the soil health in upland paddy cultivation.