Understanding Importance of Soil Testing and Significance of SOC on Crop Productivity

Healthy soils are important to grow healthy crops, raising healthy animals, and supporting a healthy human population through nutritionally balanced diets. As an indicator for soil health, SOC is important for its contributions to food production, mitigation and adaptation to climate change, and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It supports multiple soil functions determining soil physical, chemical and biological quality parameters contributing to the productive capacity of soil. It improves soil structural stability by promoting aggregate formation which, together with porosity, ensures sufficient aeration and water infiltration to support plant growth. It is one of the factors that help in increasing water holding capacity, improves cation exchange capacity to hold huge quantities of positively charged nutrients such as calcium, magnesium and potassium until the plant needs them. View Article DOI: 10.47856/ijaast.2022.v09i05.00

SOIL HEALTH STATUS OF SELECT VILLAGE OF DISTRICT SONIPAT, HARYANA AND WAY FORWARD

Soil health and fertility are the basis for gaining sustainable profit through higher productivity by the farmers. Using optimal doses of fertilizers and cropping pattern as per the scientific recommendations is the first step towards sustainable farming. Soil organic carbon (SOC) is the most important component in maintaining soil quality because of its role in improving physical, chemical, and biological properties of the soil. Organic matter is an important source of nitrogen, phosphorus and sulfur. Soil Health card is a Government of India's scheme promoted by the Department of Agriculture & Co-operation under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare, apart from giving the health index of soil, will also indicate fertilizer recommendations and soil amendment required for the farm. Under Govt. of Haryana sanctioned Soil Health Card project, ARF carried out the fertility status study of 3000 acres of land of village Baroda Mor, block Mundlana, Tehsil Gohana, Sonipat, Haryana and distribute the cards well before the harvesting of Rabi crop with proper recommendation on dosage of appropriate fertilizer as per deficiency of essential nutrient parameter. View Article DOI: 10.47856/ijaast.2021.v08i6.00