Assessing the Impact of Residue Retention on Soil Biochemical Properties of Vertisols in a Maize-Chickpea Cropping System under Different Tillage Practices in Central India

This study examined, the potential effect of different residue retention practices on soil biochemical properties in Vertisol of central India. Experiment was conducted in Randomized Block Design (RBD) with three different levels of crop residue retention (RR); 0%, 30%,90% in maize chickpea cropping system over conventional tillage (CT). The parameters assessed were total organic carbon (TOC), β-glucosidase activity, dehydrogenase activity (DHA), fluorescein diacetate hydrolysis activity (FDA), and stratification ratio. Soil samples were collected from 0–15 cm and 15–30 cm depths at the end of the cropping cycle to evaluate the effects of different residue management strategies. At the surface soil (0–15 cm), TOC was significantly higher under 90% RR (15.24 g kg⁻¹) and 30% RR (12.16 g kg⁻¹) compared to CT (9.39 g kg⁻¹). Enzymatic activities also showed significant improvements with increased residue retention. DHA at 0–15 cm was highest under 90% RR (103.57 µg TPF g⁻¹ day⁻¹), followed by 30% RR (84.63 µg TPF g⁻¹ day⁻¹) and CT (70.75 µg TPF g⁻¹ day⁻¹). A similar trend was observed for FDA, where 90% RR recorded 26.13 µg fluorescein g⁻¹ h⁻¹, exceeding CT (22.91 µg fluorescein g⁻¹ h⁻¹). β-glucosidase activity was also highest under 90% RR (169.60 µg PNG g⁻¹ soil h⁻¹), with reduced values at greater soil depths. Enzymatic activities (β-glucosidase, DHA, and FDA) exhibited a strong correlation (p < 0.01) with TOC content and were also strongly correlated, confirming their sensitivity to management practices. Stratification ratios did not vary significantly across residue retention levels, likely due to the high clay content protecting TOC and enzymes. These findings highlight the potential of residue retention to enhance soil health and serve as reliable indicators of soil quality in sustainable cropping systems.