Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1
Division of Soil Science and Soil Chemistry, FoA, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology Kashmir-Wadura, Sopore, 193201, India
2
Division of Agronomy, FoA, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology Kashmir-Wadura, Sopore, 193201, India; tahirkmr@gmail.com
3
Division of Soil Science and Soil Chemistry, FoA, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology Kashmir-Wadura, Sopore, 193201, India;
4
Division of Agronomy, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology Kashmir-Wadura, Sopore, 193201, India;
5
Department of Plant Protection, College of Agriculture and Food, Qassim University, Buraydah 51452, Saudi Arabia
6
Division of Basic Science, FoA, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology Kashmir-Wadura, Sopore, 193201, India;
7
INTI international University, Malaysia
Abstract
Good soil can raise the quantity and quality of food. However, the land quality has worsened due to various anthropogenic activities. The present study aimed to assess the effects of land use systems on soil quality over time through specific indicators. A top 30 cm soil sample from six land uses (forest, pasture, orchard, vegetable, maize, and paddy) was analyzed for soil quality index using Principal Component Analysis. The results revealed the highest organic carbon (20.94±1.85 g kg-1), N (537.50±16.7 kg ha-1), and P2O5 (36.51±1.62 kg ha-1) in paddy-based land uses while the minimum OC (8.63±1.23 g kg-1), N (290.30±1.8 kg ha-1) and K2O (201.36±6.2 kg ha-1) respectively with lowest P2O5 (24.22±1.21 kg ha-1) in maize. The forest system showed dense macrofauna (1498 ind. m-2). The microbial population was found in the order of paddy>maize>vegetable>apple>pasture>forest. Particle size distribution of studied land uses varied from silty loam to clay loam. The following order of soil quality: forest>pasture>apple >vegetable>maize>paddy was found after the indexing procedure. It is concluded that further extension and turning of natural forests to agriculture will lead to a more significant loss of stored carbon from soils.
Keywords
Main Subjects
)
View on SCiNiTO