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<p>Soil quality, nutrient stability and microbial community interactions are pivotal for sustainable agriculture. The rice-wheat system is traditionally followed in the Indo-Gangetic plains by the majority of farmers; however, this system resulted in deteriorating soil structure, decrease in soil organic carbon and available nitrogen, and an increase in multi-nutrient deficiencies. This study aims to investigate the effects of the transition of rice-wheat cropping system (RCG) to sugarcane-ratoon-wheat (SCG), pearl millet-wheat (PCG), and maize-wheat (MCG) cropping systems on nutrient stability, microbial diversity and soil quality.&#xa0;To assess the nutritional status, microbial and enzymatic activities, and other chemical and biological properties, 242 composite soil samples from 0 to 20&#xa0;cm depth were collected from different cropping systems. Soil enzymes and diversity indices were analysed; non-linear multidimensional scaling (NMDS), principal component analysis (PCA) and Pearson coefficient correlation studies were used to identify the eligible dependent variables from different cropping systems. The sampling adequacy of individual and set variables was computed by the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin test value &gt; 0.5 and Bartlett’s test of sphericity (<i>P</i> &lt; 0.05) using factor analysis.&#xa0;The different crop-grown systems revealed a range of 6.00-8.76 for soil pH, 3.0–7.02&#xa0;g kg⁻¹ soil organic carbon (SOC), 97.2–299.1&#xa0;kg N ha⁻¹, 3.0-19.1&#xa0;mg S kg⁻¹ and 0.32–4.72&#xa0;mg Zn kg⁻¹, with the highest soil pH recorded in PCG (8.13), and the lowest in SCG (7.14). The highest SOC, available N, K, S and Zn in SCG as RCG converted to SCG. The sugarcane-ratoon-wheat (SCG) cropping system increased SOC, carbon substrate oxidation rate, and available N by approximately 38.8, 40.2, and 34.9% over MCG, respectively. The diversity indices (Shan D, Shan E, MacD and Mac Ev) and soil quality index (SQI) were the highest in the SCG. The soil quality index (SQI) follows in the order of SCG (0.921) &gt; MCG (0.754) &gt; RCG (0.742) &gt; PCG (0.721). Microbial biomass carbon, total nitrogen (TN), available N, sulphur contents, β-glucosidase (β-glu) and Zn were identified as the key soil indicators affecting soil quality across the different cropping systems. Among the minimum data sets (MDS), microbial biomass carbon (MBC), TN and available N are the most vital and sensitive variables, prone to changes in cropping systems and their management.&#xa0;The transition of rice-wheat cropping system to sugarcane-ratoon based system improved nutrient status, microbial diversity and soil quality, however, transition to maize-wheat, and pearl millet-wheat cropping systems caused deterioration of soil quality in terms of nutrient status, microbial and enzymatic activities. This study highlights the intricate relationship between different cropping systems, soil properties, microbial dynamics and soil quality contributing to the development of sustainable agricultural practices for a specific cropping system.</p>

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Transition of Cropping Systems Influences Nutrient Stability, Microbial Diversity and Soil Quality in the Upper Indo-Gangetic Plains of India

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年1月20日

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  • S. R. Singh,
  • Pushpendra Pratap Singh Yadav,
  • Achal Singh,
  • Sanjeev Kumar

摘要

Soil quality, nutrient stability and microbial community interactions are pivotal for sustainable agriculture. The rice-wheat system is traditionally followed in the Indo-Gangetic plains by the majority of farmers; however, this system resulted in deteriorating soil structure, decrease in soil organic carbon and available nitrogen, and an increase in multi-nutrient deficiencies. This study aims to investigate the effects of the transition of rice-wheat cropping system (RCG) to sugarcane-ratoon-wheat (SCG), pearl millet-wheat (PCG), and maize-wheat (MCG) cropping systems on nutrient stability, microbial diversity and soil quality. To assess the nutritional status, microbial and enzymatic activities, and other chemical and biological properties, 242 composite soil samples from 0 to 20 cm depth were collected from different cropping systems. Soil enzymes and diversity indices were analysed; non-linear multidimensional scaling (NMDS), principal component analysis (PCA) and Pearson coefficient correlation studies were used to identify the eligible dependent variables from different cropping systems. The sampling adequacy of individual and set variables was computed by the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin test value > 0.5 and Bartlett’s test of sphericity (P < 0.05) using factor analysis. The different crop-grown systems revealed a range of 6.00-8.76 for soil pH, 3.0–7.02 g kg⁻¹ soil organic carbon (SOC), 97.2–299.1 kg N ha⁻¹, 3.0-19.1 mg S kg⁻¹ and 0.32–4.72 mg Zn kg⁻¹, with the highest soil pH recorded in PCG (8.13), and the lowest in SCG (7.14). The highest SOC, available N, K, S and Zn in SCG as RCG converted to SCG. The sugarcane-ratoon-wheat (SCG) cropping system increased SOC, carbon substrate oxidation rate, and available N by approximately 38.8, 40.2, and 34.9% over MCG, respectively. The diversity indices (Shan D, Shan E, MacD and Mac Ev) and soil quality index (SQI) were the highest in the SCG. The soil quality index (SQI) follows in the order of SCG (0.921) > MCG (0.754) > RCG (0.742) > PCG (0.721). Microbial biomass carbon, total nitrogen (TN), available N, sulphur contents, β-glucosidase (β-glu) and Zn were identified as the key soil indicators affecting soil quality across the different cropping systems. Among the minimum data sets (MDS), microbial biomass carbon (MBC), TN and available N are the most vital and sensitive variables, prone to changes in cropping systems and their management. The transition of rice-wheat cropping system to sugarcane-ratoon based system improved nutrient status, microbial diversity and soil quality, however, transition to maize-wheat, and pearl millet-wheat cropping systems caused deterioration of soil quality in terms of nutrient status, microbial and enzymatic activities. This study highlights the intricate relationship between different cropping systems, soil properties, microbial dynamics and soil quality contributing to the development of sustainable agricultural practices for a specific cropping system.