Integrated Nutrient Management: Effect on Soil Properties and Crop Yields on Sandy Clay Loam Soil under Maize-wheat Cropping System

Background: Constant use of chemical fertilizer in agriculture field, degrade overall soil quality and increases the environmental pollution. Integrated nutrient management is an eco-friendly and cost-effective method that involves the combined application of organic amendment and inorganic fertilizer resulting in upgrading soil health, crop productivity, carbon sequestration and mitigating climate change. The current study aimed to examine the combined effects of organic amendment and inorganic fertilizer on soil quality and crop productivity in maize-wheat cropping systems. Methods: A two-year field experiment was conducted in the month of June-October (2021-2022) for maize and Nov-April (2021- 2022 and 2022-2023) for wheat crop. Fertilizer treatments, viz., control (zero fertilizer), NPK (recommended fertilizer), 50% NPK + A. chroococum, 50% NPK + green manure, 50% NPK + karanja cake, 50% NPK + poultry waste, 50% NPK + wheat residue, 50% NPK + maize residue were applied in a randomized block design with four replications. Result: Application of 50% NPK+ poultry waste showed higher soil organic carbon (0.91% and 0.92%) and microbial biomass carbon (353.42 mg kg-1 and 394.35 mg kg-1) followed by 50% NPK+ karanja cake. Application of 50% NPK + poultry waste increased grain yield by 48.5% and 23.25% in maize and wheat respectively over control. Poultry waste, as a replacement for sole NPK, could be a promising strategy for the management of soil health as well as crop productivity.