Effect of organic farming on the restoration of soil quality, ecosystem services, and productivity in rice–wheat agro-ecosystems

Abstract

Excess use of hazardous agrochemicals and inorganic fertilizers resulted negative impact on environmental outcomes and degraded soil function, biological diversity, and ecosystem services. A 15-year long-term (2004–05 to 2017–18) field experiment was conducted to improve the ecosystem services with soil quality restoration and stabilization of yield through agronomic manipulation in the rice (Oryza sativa)–wheat (Triticum aestivum) system under Indo-Gangetic Plains (IGP). Three crop management practices (i) organic crop management, (ii) inorganic crop management, and (iii) integrated crop management were evaluated at four locations (i) Jabalpur, (ii) Ludhiana, (iii) Pantnagar, and (iv) Modipuram in a factorial randomized block design and replicated thrice at each location. Among the spatial variation, the highest soil quality indicators like soil microbial biomass carbon (0.52 mg g−1), fungal (46.2 CFU × 104 CFU), bacterial (54.2 CFU × 106 CFU), and actinomycetes viable cells (23.0 CFU × 106 CFU), and nutrients (available N and available P) were observed at Pantnagar than other location. The soil pH varied from 7.2 to 8.3, and the lowest bulk density (ρb) was recorded at Jabalpur and Modipuram. Subsequently, higher system productivity (8,196.7 kg ha−1) and net returns were obtained in Pantnagar > Ludhiana, and it was 44.1–63.4% higher than in Modipuram and Jabalpur. Among the crop management, organic crop management significantly improved (p < 0.05) ρb, soil organic carbon, available N, available P, and available K by 3.7%, 33.3%, 16.4%, 37.8%, and 20.3% over inorganic crop management, respectively. Similarly, the highest bacterial, fungal, and actinomycetes viable cell counts were found under the organic plots, followed by integrated plots. In terms of productivity, integrated crop management (ICM) had increased the system productivity by 4.7%–6.7% and net returns by 22.2% and 23.5% over inorganic and organic crop management. Similarly, the highest sustainability yield index (SYI) was recorded in integrated crop management (0.77) as compared to inorganic (0.74) and organic management (0.75). The soil quality index was estimated as 0.60, 0.53, and 0.54 in organic, inorganic, and ICM, respectively. Hence, the study indicated that the application of organic amendments under organic or integrated crop management improves the system’s resiliency and sustainability. Therefore, the study concludes that towards organic approach (integrated application of organic amendments with a gradual reduction in mineral fertilizers) is better suitable for keeping the rice–wheat system productivity and sustainable in the long term.

Integrating conservation agriculture with intensive crop diversification in the maize-based organic system: Impact on sustaining food and nutritional security

“…The production of food is dependent on ecosystems in which the soil should be in good condition and working properly, which in turn gives services to agriculture by fertilizing the soil with the necessary organic inputs ( 16 , 46 ). These ecosystem services, which include regulating and providing support, make delivering ecosystem services possible ( 47 ).…”

“…More resource-efficient practices, such as conservation agriculture with full retention of crop residue and diversified crop rotations, are receiving widespread support as potential solutions for lowering the consumption of non-renewable resources, reversing soil deterioration, and restoring soil quality, all while cutting emissions (11)(12)(13)(14). Organic intensive cropping system with conservation practices enhanced crop establishment and provision for timely sowing, maintaining, or increasing per unit productivity, lowering production costs, and increasing net returns along with ensuring nutritional security, potential energy availability, and system resilience (15)(16)(17), which ensures to achieve little toward the SDGs-3 (good health and wellbeing) and-12 (zero hunger; responsible consumption and production).…”

An integrated organic farming system: innovations for farm diversification, sustainability, and livelihood improvement of hill farmers

“…Growing vegetables after kharif maize not only increases cropping intensity but also utilizes the land efficiently while providing employment and economic benefits to the farmers, who are mostly small and marginal in nature (Layek et al, 2020). There is a yield gap of 25%−40% for most of the vegetables, such as okra, French bean, carrot, tomato, and potato, between their farm yield and the yield obtained from the ICAR experimental organic farms (Panwar et al, 2022). However, the NER, especially Meghalaya, has a lot of potential for improving agricultural productivity.…”

“…There is scope for enhancing productivity with good organic management since most of the households are maintaining livestock (pig, poultry, cattle, goats, etc.) and producing enough on-farm manures, which could be efficiently used for organic agriculture (Ravisankar et al, 2021(Ravisankar et al, , 2022.…”

Conservation tillage and diversified cropping enhance system productivity and eco-efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas intensity in organic farming

“…Achieving sustainable national and household-level food and nutritional security is a complicated and complex target affected by multiple factors like human competency, policies, infrastructure, technological invention, and dissemination (Yadav et al, 2021a;Babu et al, 2022). Under the current scenario of natural resource depletion, climate change further amplified the food and nutritional insecurity challenges (Panwar et al, 2022). The Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) (COP 27) meeting held at Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt in November 2022 also emphasized safeguarding the food production system from climate change vulnerability.…”