Multi-Depth Soil–microbe Interactions Influencing Productivity of Mustard (Brassica juncea L.) under Conservation Agriculture and Organic Nutrient Management Systems
Gummadala Kasirao *
Department of Agronomy, School of Agricultural Sciences, G.D. Goenka University, Sohna, India.
Shiv Singh Tomar
Department of Agronomy, School of Agricultural Sciences, G.D. Goenka University, Sohna, India.
Perli Himavarsha
Department of Agronomy, School of Agricultural Sciences, G.D. Goenka University, Sohna, India.
Arpita Sharma
Department of Microbiology, School of Agricultural Sciences, G.D. Goenka University, Sohna, India.
Pradipta Ranjan Pradhan
Department of Soil Sciences, School of Agricultural Sciences, G.D. Goenka University, Sohna, India.
Deepak Maurya
Department of Horticultural Sciences, School of Agricultural Sciences, G.D. Goenka University, Sohna, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
The accelerated degradation of agroecosystems driven by intensive tillage and synthetic inputs threatens soil functionality, ecosystem stability, and long-term food security. This two-year field experiment, titled “Decoding Multi-Depth Soil Physicochemical and Microbial Interactions Governing Productivity and Economic Viability in Mustard (Brassica juncea L.) under Conservation Agriculture and Organic Nutrient Management Systems,” evaluated twelve treatment combinations integrating reduced tillage, residue retention, and organic amendments under a randomized block design. Among all, No-till + Egg Amino Acid (1 L ha⁻¹) + Poultry Manure (4 t ha⁻¹) (T₇) emerged superior, recording the highest available nitrogen (242.03 kg ha⁻¹), phosphorus (22.67 kg ha⁻¹), and potassium (470.28 kg ha⁻¹), alongside a 23–28% increase in soil organic carbon and notable reductions in bulk density and electrical conductivity. The same treatment exhibited the maximum bacterial (40.32 × 10⁶ CFU g⁻¹) and fungal (12.00 × 10⁴ CFU g⁻¹) populations, indicating enhanced microbial activity and nutrient mineralization. Economically, T₇ achieved the highest gross return (₹1,22,164.9 ha⁻¹), net return (₹76,654.9 ha⁻¹), and benefit–cost ratio (2.68), outperforming the control by up to 60%. The synergistic influence of conservation tillage and organic inputs strengthened soil biological functions, improved resource-use efficiency, and enhanced mustard productivity, establishing a sustainable pathway toward low-input, carbon-positive, and biologically enriched agroecosystems.
Keywords: Conservation agriculture, organic amendments, no-till, soil fertility, microbial activity, mustard (Brassica juncea), economic analysis, climate-smart agriculture