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Not AvailableA study was conducted to investigate the effect of crop residues and green manures in comparison with gypsum on amelioration and nutrient availability in sodic black calcareous soils. Soil pH, exchangeable sodium and exchangeable sodium percentage decreased by 0.09 units, 25.4% and 30% under gypsum, and by 0.06 units, 19.1% and 23.3% under dhaincha green manuring after two years. However, organic amendments (OA) performed better in improving nutrient status compared to gypsum. The OA reduced sodicity and improved nutrient availability in the order dhaincha>sunhemp>leucaena>cowpea>green gram>composted cotton stalk>biomulch. The practice of green manuring in sodic soils enhanced nutrient supply and showed potential to reclaim sodic soils. Hence, this study clearly demonstrated that dhaincha and sunhemp can represent a potential alternative choice to gypsum scarceness for management of sodic soils under a scenario of increasing sodicity.Not Availabl

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Not AvailableThe studies carried out in past showed that indigenous sources like glauconite, mica and feldspar can release potassium and can be used as alternative to conventional fertilizer. The use microbial inoculants, organic matter application, acidulation and physical modification can be promising options for efficient use of indigenous sources of potassium. This can saves huge amount of revenue on import of conventional fertilizers and subsidy on it. All the study mentioned in the paper are either laboratory or pot study, hence there is need to study the available technologies for use of indigenous sources of potassium in field.Not Availabl

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Not AvailableConservation agriculture (CA) refers to a set of agricultural practices encompassing minimum mechanical soil disturbance, diversified crop rotation and permanent soil cover with crop residues to mitigate soil erosion and improve soil fertility besides soil functions. The CA aims to conserve, improve and make more efficient use of resources through CA-based technologies. It has many tangible and intangible benefits in terms of reduced cost of production, saving of time, increased yield through timely planting, improved water productivity, adaptation to climate variability, reduced disease and pest incidence through stimulation of biological diversity, reduced environmental footprints and ultimately improvements in soil health. However, weeds are a major biotic interference in CA, posing big defy towards its success unless all the principles are completely followed. Development of post-emergence herbicide and growing herbicide-tolerant crops and also the retention of crop residues as a mulch help in managing weed problems and also improve soil moisture retention. Furthermore, this practice of agriculture improves soil organic carbon content which ultimately leads to an increase in input use efficiency

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Not AvailableThis article critically reviews the information regarding potassium (K) status of Indian soils based on research conducted since 1929. The patterns and lacunae regarding potassium consumption in India are also mentioned. The role of minerals in potassium availability vis-à-vis forms of potassium is discussed and elucidated with suitable clay mineralogical evi- dences. The article also highlights concepts of potassium availability to plants in Indian shrink-swell soils. Authors have pointed out the inefficacy of the universal method used for assessing plant-available K (1N NH4OAc) in Indian shrink-swell soil, as observed from extensive K response studies. The current practicesof assessing only plant available K arenot adequate to detect native changes in soil potassium. This paradoxical situation necessitates revision and revalidation of the existing potassium fertilizer rec- ommendations, which are being adopted since four decades. A holistic research envisaging soil test crop response and mineralogical studies will help in revising potassium evaluation methods in India,leading to judicious fertilizer application by the farmers.Not Availabl

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Not AvailableIn the present scenario of food production system, one of the most important challenges the Indian agriculture facing today is how to sustain farm profitability and food security. In order to feed an increasing the population 2% per year and meet the food demand (341 million tonnes by 2025), the agricultural productivity and growth need to be sustained and further improved. Food security is multidimensional crisis, which directly hits the poorest and neediest and in turn decreases their already low quality of life. The agriculture sector is the starting point for finding sustainable solution to overcome the food crisis. This situation is nodding towards rethinking about the profitable agriculture. For this concern holistic approaches have to be continued with certain aspects so that the 60–70% population associated with agriculture remains in the profession. Else wise, everyone wants to have alternate entrepreneur rather than agriculture since it is less profit oriented with high risk and needs more hard work as compared to other entrepreneurs. Diversified agriculture is an integration of several crops and livestock’s, in production system for a higher food production and farm profitability.Not Availabl

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Not AvailablePotassium (K) is one of the essential nutrients required by crops in large quantities; however, its use in agriculture by farmers is less than required in developing countries. This neglect has led to excess mining of K in soils by crop plants and has resulted in a negative balance of K in soils. This loss necessitates the need of more use of potassium fertilizers in agriculture. Rocks and minerals offer a potential fertilizer to utilize in agriculture as source of K. The crop trials revealed that feldspar, mica, glauconite, nepheline and shoenite are good sources of K for crops, especially in highly weathered acid soils. However, some researchers have reported no agronomic benefit of feldspar or granite rock application to crops. Overall the size modification, acidulation, microbial inoculants and preparation of K-enriched compost are the effective techniques to utilize K-bearing rocks and minerals. Very limited information is available on these aspects. Thus, in this review, an attempt has been to consolidate up-to-date information of indigenous rocks and minerals as possibilities for alternate sources of K for crop plants. Moreover, this area of research needs attention to utilize indigenous K sources, which can aid to limit the import and cost, of the establishment of potash fertilizer-based industries in developing countries.Not Availabl

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Not AvailableAbstract Due to declining soil quality and increasing climate change, resource conservation technologies are often advocated for the food production system. Conservation agriculture (CA) is one of the technologies that increase soil nutrient status without jeopardizing the soil health and quality. The effects of conservation tillage, residue retention, and cropping systems on soil physical, chemical, and biological properties within the irrigated agricultural system are well established. However, scanty information is available on the combined impact of tillage, residue, and cropping system available on the major and micronutrient in the rainfed farming systems. Thus, a field experiment was conducted to measure the short-term effect of CA practices on soil properties and major (N, P, and K) and micro (Fe, Mn, Zn, and Cu)-nutrients in a Vertisol of Central India. The field experiment was laid out in a split-plot design consisting of two tillage systems (TS), conventional tillage (CT) and reduced tillage (RT), as the main plots and six cropping systems (CS) as subplots. A total of 144 soil samples were collected after four crop cycles to assess soil properties and nutrient (major and micro-nutrient) status. Results demonstrated that in the surface soil layer (0–5 cm), the major and micro-nutrient concentrations were higher than subsurface layers, regardless of TS and CS. In the surface soils, soil organic carbon (SOC) varied from 0.58 to 0.60% under CT and from 0.60 to 0.62% under RT. Tillage and cropping systems had a significant effect (p < 0.05) on major available nutrients (N, P, and K) at 0–5-cm depth. The DTPA extractable Fe, Mn, Cu, and Zn concentrations exhibited decreasing trends with increasing depth. At 0–5-cm depth, the DTPA-Fe, Mn, Cu, and Zn under CT varied from 7.56 to 9.58 mg kg−1, 15.04 to 15.91 mg kg−1, 1.37 to 1.80 mg kg−1, and 0.57 to 0.62 mg kg−1 and under RT varied from 8.25 to 11.16 mg kg−1, 15.65 to 17.73 mg kg−1, 1.54 to 1.80 mg kg−1, and 0.59 to 0.67 mg kg−1, respectively. We concluded that RT practices, coupled with crop residue retention, positively affected major and micro-nutrient distribution and availability in this soil. Results highlight the importance of nutrient dynamics under different tillage and cropping systems and thus improve the nutrient recommendation in the semi-arid eco-region of Central India.Not Availabl