Differential Impacts of Agricultural Management Practices on Soil Fertility in Dubeypur Block, Sultanpur

This study provides a comparative assessment of soil fertility under predominant agricultural systems in Dubeypur Block, Sultanpur, Eastern Uttar Pradesh—a region facing sustainability challenges due to intensive conventional practices. We analyzed key physico-chemical properties (bulk density, pH, electrical conductivity, organic carbon) and available macronutrients (N, P, K) across 300 surface soil samples (0–15 cm) from six cropping systems: Rice-Wheat (RWCS), Low-Value (LVCS), Vegetable-Based (VBCS), Horticulture-Based (HBCS), Legume-Based (LBCS), Pasture/Forest (P/FS), and Salt-Affected Soils (SAS). Results revealed significant management-driven divergence: Conservation systems (P/FS, LBCS) exhibited optimal soil structure (BD: 1.33–1.40 Mg m⁻³), near-neutral pH (7.83–8.04), higher organic carbon (5.6–6.29 g kg⁻¹), and elevated N (227.44 kg ha⁻¹) and P (19.86 kg ha⁻¹). Conversely, SAS and intensive systems (RWCS) showed degradation—higher BD (≤1.40 Mg m⁻³), alkalinity/salinity (pH ≤9.04; EC ≤1.55 dS m⁻¹), depleted OC (≤2.85 g kg⁻¹), and reduced N (≤170.16 kg ha⁻¹). Organic carbon emerged as the keystone driver of fertility. The findings underscore the urgent need for regenerative practices (organic amendments, reduced tillage, legume integration) to mitigate degradation and enhance agroecological resilience.