Productivity, Nutrient, and Soil Enzymes Influenced with Conservation Agriculture Practices in Peanut

Abstract

Core Ideas Peanut–wheat–Sesbania cropping system recorded the highest peanut–pod equivalent yield.Peanut–wheat–Sesbania/ green gram markedly increased soil enzymatic activities.Bulk density decreased in peanut‐CTW and peanut + pigeonpea crop rotations. Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is a soil‐C depleting crop under a continuous monocropping system. A study was conducted comprising combinations of tillage practices (zero tillage [ZT] or conventional tillage [CT]), crop rotation (sole peanut, peanut‐wheat [Triticum aestivum L.], or peanut+pigeonpea [Cajanus cajan L.]), and green manuring (GM) (green gram [Vigna radiata L.], sesbania [Sesbania aculeata Willd.], or wheat straw incorporation [WSI]). Peanut pod yield was found higher in peanut followed by wheat either zero tilled (ZTW) or conventional tilled (CTW), and GM either with sesbania/green gram/WSI. Green manuring in peanut–ZTW and peanut+pigeonpea recorded higher grain yield of wheat (3.11 t ha−1) and pigeonpea (1.76 t ha−1), respectively. Sesbania GM increased root biomass of peanut, wheat, and pigeonpea in all the systems. Peanut‐pod equivalent yield recorded significantly higher in peanut–ZTW or CTW when included GM with either sesbania or green gram (3.64 t ha−1). Found higher accumulation of soil N in peanut–ZTW–sesbania (33.8 kg ha−1), P in peanut–CTW (6.4 kg ha−1), and S in peanut–CTW (3.7 kg ha−1) crop rotations. Activities of urease, β‐glucosidase, acid phosphatase, and alkaline phosphatase were increased in all the crop rotations that included green manuring or WSI over sole peanut. Soil bulk density (0–15 cm depth) was recorded lower in peanut–CTW, however, higher in peanut–ZTW. Peanut followed by ZTW or CTW and green manuring either with sesbania or green gram found more sustainable than sole peanut in terms of peanut‐pod equivalent yield and improved soil enzyme activities.

Combined Impact of No-Till and Cover Crops with or without Short-Term Water Stress as Revealed by Physicochemical and Microbiological Indicators

“…The differences between S and NS, especially under CT and NT, could be related to the fact that, under water stress, the activity and structure of the soil microbial communities are subject to change, eventually affecting the enzyme activities in soil related to processes they take apart [ 64 ]. The impact of water stress on the measured enzymatic activities were in accordance with previous findings for β-glucosidase [ 65 ] and for phosphatase [ 66 , 67 ].…”

Energetics and profitability of peanut (Arachis hypogaea)-based cropping systems as influenced with conservation agricultural practices

“…Similarly, CA-based management in zero-till direct seeded rice-wheat-mungbean also produced significantly higher system productivity (wheat equivalent yield) to the tune of 36% over conventional till rice-wheat system (Jat et al 2019). Jain et al (2018) also obtained higher peanut-pod equivalent yield due to conservation agriculture practices.…”

Conservation Agriculture-An Ideal Resource Management Strategy for Sustainable Oilseed Production in India

“…Burning of crop residues causing pollution, greenhouse gas emission and loss of plant nutrients can be reversed for benefiting, improving soil health and environment through CA practices. Through CA crop residues are retained on soil surface and in combination with reduced tillage, it initiates processes that enrich carbon pools and lead to improved soil quality and resource enhancement [6,7].…”