PJB-2019-1020
Spatial Variability in Edaphic and Biological Properties of Various Cropping Systems among Punjab, Pakistan
Samama Tariq
Abstract
Changes in crop yields can be attributed to poor soil management and lack of systematic crop rotation. It has also been a factor of low soil organic matter, nutrient deficiency resulting in reduction in fertility. Soil fertility and health can be improved by microbial as well as enzymatic enhanced activities as they perform a key role in carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus and sulfur cycling. Present intensive cropping system and practices are seriously threatening soil health which results in decreased crop yields. Survey research was executed to evaluate activities of soil microbial biomass and enzymes in wheat-cotton, wheat-gram and mix cropping system of various districts of Punjab at Institute of Soil Science, Arid Agriculture University during 2018-19. GPS guided soil samples were collected at different locations of selected cropping systems. Soil microbial biomass carbon (MBC), microbial biomass phosphorus (MBP), urease activity (UA), alkaline phosphatase activity (APA) and dehydrogenase activity (DA) was determined in these cropping systems. GIS maps were developed with help of ArcGIS 10.2.2 software and correlation among different parameters was determined. Results of present study clearly indicated that MBC (143 µg g-1), MBP (9.98 µg g-1) and UA (763 mg NH4-N kg-1 2h-1) was significantly higher under mix cropping system as compared to wheat-gram and wheat-cotton system, whereas, APA (82.4 mg PNP kg-1 h-1) and DA (84 mg TPF kg-1 24 h-1) was greater in wheat-cotton as compared to mix and wheat-gram systems. Taking everything into account, it is concluded that soil under mix cropping system has more active microbial biomass and enzymes as compared to wheat-gram and wheat-cotton cropping system. Keywords: Microbial, Enzymes, Fertility, Cropping system, GIS
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