Spatial variability of soil hydraulic and physical properties in erosive sloping agricultural fields

Restoration of agroecosystems with conservation agriculture for food security to achievesustainabledevelopment goals

“…The CR under CA increase SOM, strengthen nutrient cycling, improve soil aggregation, conserve soil water (Layek et al, 2021), enhance biological activity (Singh, Mishra, Patra, Mariappan, & Singh, 2021), moderate the changes in soil temperature (Yadav, Das, Kandpal, et al, 2021), and thus reduce land degradation (Das et al, 2020). CRs improve soil quality by lowering soil erosion and reducing the effects of pollutants on the soil environment (Singh, Mishra, et al, 2022; Singh, Patra, et al, 2022). The favorable impacts of CA in enhancing soil characteristics and reducing land degradation are widely documented; however, the magnitude of these effects varies depending on the soil type and the nature of the conservation techniques implemented (Figure 4).…”

“…The enhanced rate of oxidation of organic matter under intensive tillage practices leads to the decomposition rate of SOM and reduced SOC content (Zhang et al, 2018). Moreover, the decomposition of root biomass in deep root regions (up to 30 cm) under CA also facilitates the development of high SOC in the soil (Singh, Mishra, et al, 2022; Singh, Patra, et al, 2022). Aziz et al (2015) found that ZT boosted (in India) active carbon by 10% and total carbon by 30% in maize‐based cropping systems over CT. ZT with residue mulching increases the SOC by 54.4% and 50.0% at 0–10 cm soil depth in rice‐wheat and maize‐wheat crop rotations, respectively, over CT (Choudhary et al, 2019).…”

“…Conservation agriculture (CA) is a sustainable way to ensure global food demand, achieve SDGs, and restore soil health and overall agroecosystem services (Singh, Mishra, et al, 2022). CA preserving and restoring food and agricultural systems focuses on regenerating topsoil, increasing biodiversity, improving water circulation, enhancing ecosystem services, supporting bioisolation, increasing resilience to climate change, and improving agricultural soil health and vitality (Singh, Mishra, Patra, Mariappan, & Singh, 2021; Yadav, Das, Kandpal, et al, 2021).…”

“…The extensive success of CA in different nations is due to higher resource conservation compared to traditional tillage practices. CA is an agricultural technique preventing the loss of arable land while restoring degraded land with three principles: (a) minimum mechanical soil disturbance, (b) permanent soil cover, and (c) crop rotation (Singh, Mishra, et al, 2022; Singh, Patra, et al, 2022; Yadav, Babu, Das, et al, 2021). CA significantly improves the soil's physical, chemical, and biological properties.…”

“…The re‐establishment of microfauna and flora are more in the CA increases species and functional diversity. Moreover, root decay enhances the macropore inter‐connectivity that reduces runoff and prevents soil erosion (Singh, Babu, Avasthe, Meena, et al, 2021; Singh, Mishra, et al, 2022; Singh, Patra, et al, 2022).…”