Evaluation of Soil Health under Aonla (Emblica officinalis) Cultivation with Organic Manure in the Semi-Arid Region of Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, India

Soil is a vital natural resource essential for sustaining life on Earth. Preserving and enhancing soil health is critical for ensuring food security, maintaining biodiversity, regulating the climate and promoting human well-being. A field experiment was conducted at the Main Experimental Station (MES) of the Department of Silviculture and Agroforestry, Acharya Narendra Deva University of Agriculture and Technology, Kumarganj, Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, India, to evaluate soil properties under Aonla (Emblica officinalis) tree and open field condition following the application of different types of organic manure. The experiment comprised eight treatments: T1 (no fertilizer, open field), T2 (no fertilizer, under Aonla tree), T3 (100% farmyard manure (FYM), open field), T4 (100% FYM, under Aonla tree), T5 (100% vermicompost, open field), T6 (100% vermicompost, under Aonla tree), T7 (50% FYM + 50% vermicompost, open field), and T8 (50% FYM + 50% vermicompost, under Aonla tree), arranged in a Randomized Block Design with three replications. Among the treatments, T8 (50% FYM + 50% vermicompost under Aonla tree) showed the most significant improvement in soil quality. Overall, soil health was better under Aonla tree compared to open field condition. The findings suggest that integrating FYM and vermicompost application in Aonla cultivation can effectively enhance soil health, offering a sustainable practice for farmers.