Soil Biological Activity Contributing to Phosphorus Availability in Vertisols under Long-Term Organic and Conventional Agricultural Management
Mobilization of unavailable phosphorus (P) to plant available P is a prerequisite to sustain crop productivity. Although most of the agricultural soils have sufficient amounts of phosphorus, low availability of native soil P remains a key limiting factor to increasing crop productivity. Solubilizati...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2017-09-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Plant Science |
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| Online Access: | http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpls.2017.01523/full |
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| author | Nisar A. Bhat Amritbir Riar Aketi Ramesh Sanjeeda Iqbal Mahaveer P. Sharma Sanjay K. Sharma Gurbir S. Bhullar |
| author_facet | Nisar A. Bhat Amritbir Riar Aketi Ramesh Sanjeeda Iqbal Mahaveer P. Sharma Sanjay K. Sharma Gurbir S. Bhullar |
| author_sort | Nisar A. Bhat |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Mobilization of unavailable phosphorus (P) to plant available P is a prerequisite to sustain crop productivity. Although most of the agricultural soils have sufficient amounts of phosphorus, low availability of native soil P remains a key limiting factor to increasing crop productivity. Solubilization and mineralization of applied and native P to plant available form is mediated through a number of biological and biochemical processes that are strongly influenced by soil carbon/organic matter, besides other biotic and abiotic factors. Soils rich in organic matter are expected to have higher P availability potentially due to higher biological activity. In conventional agricultural systems mineral fertilizers are used to supply P for plant growth, whereas organic systems largely rely on inputs of organic origin. The soils under organic management are supposed to be biologically more active and thus possess a higher capability to mobilize native or applied P. In this study we compared biological activity in soil of a long-term farming systems comparison field trial in vertisols under a subtropical (semi-arid) environment. Soil samples were collected from plots under 7 years of organic and conventional management at five different time points in soybean (Glycine max) -wheat (Triticum aestivum) crop sequence including the crop growth stages of reproductive significance. Upon analysis of various soil biological properties such as dehydrogenase, β-glucosidase, acid and alkaline phosphatase activities, microbial respiration, substrate induced respiration, soil microbial biomass carbon, organically managed soils were found to be biologically more active particularly at R2 stage in soybean and panicle initiation stage in wheat. We also determined the synergies between these biological parameters by using the methodology of principle component analysis. At all sampling points, P availability in organic and conventional systems was comparable. Our findings clearly indicate that owing to higher biological activity, organic systems possess equal capabilities of supplying P for crop growth as are conventional systems with inputs of mineral P fertilizers. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T23:31:21Z |
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| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T23:31:21Z |
| publishDate | 2017-09-01 |
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| series | Frontiers in Plant Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-8def557c2e444533a450c198573885ef2022-12-22T03:57:08ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Plant Science1664-462X2017-09-01810.3389/fpls.2017.01523282907Soil Biological Activity Contributing to Phosphorus Availability in Vertisols under Long-Term Organic and Conventional Agricultural ManagementNisar A. Bhat0Amritbir Riar1Aketi Ramesh2Sanjeeda Iqbal3Mahaveer P. Sharma4Sanjay K. Sharma5Gurbir S. Bhullar6Government Holkar Science College, Devi Ahilya VishwavidyalayaIndore, IndiaDepartment of International Cooperation, Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL)Frick, SwitzerlandICAR-Indian Institute of Soybean ResearchIndore, IndiaGovernment Holkar Science College, Devi Ahilya VishwavidyalayaIndore, IndiaICAR-Indian Institute of Soybean ResearchIndore, IndiaRajmata Vijayaraje Scindia Krishi Vishwavidyalaya Agriculture CollegeIndore, IndiaDepartment of International Cooperation, Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL)Frick, SwitzerlandMobilization of unavailable phosphorus (P) to plant available P is a prerequisite to sustain crop productivity. Although most of the agricultural soils have sufficient amounts of phosphorus, low availability of native soil P remains a key limiting factor to increasing crop productivity. Solubilization and mineralization of applied and native P to plant available form is mediated through a number of biological and biochemical processes that are strongly influenced by soil carbon/organic matter, besides other biotic and abiotic factors. Soils rich in organic matter are expected to have higher P availability potentially due to higher biological activity. In conventional agricultural systems mineral fertilizers are used to supply P for plant growth, whereas organic systems largely rely on inputs of organic origin. The soils under organic management are supposed to be biologically more active and thus possess a higher capability to mobilize native or applied P. In this study we compared biological activity in soil of a long-term farming systems comparison field trial in vertisols under a subtropical (semi-arid) environment. Soil samples were collected from plots under 7 years of organic and conventional management at five different time points in soybean (Glycine max) -wheat (Triticum aestivum) crop sequence including the crop growth stages of reproductive significance. Upon analysis of various soil biological properties such as dehydrogenase, β-glucosidase, acid and alkaline phosphatase activities, microbial respiration, substrate induced respiration, soil microbial biomass carbon, organically managed soils were found to be biologically more active particularly at R2 stage in soybean and panicle initiation stage in wheat. We also determined the synergies between these biological parameters by using the methodology of principle component analysis. At all sampling points, P availability in organic and conventional systems was comparable. Our findings clearly indicate that owing to higher biological activity, organic systems possess equal capabilities of supplying P for crop growth as are conventional systems with inputs of mineral P fertilizers.http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpls.2017.01523/fullbiological propertiesphosphorus mobilizationsoil enzymessoybean–wheat systemavailable P |
| spellingShingle | Nisar A. Bhat Amritbir Riar Aketi Ramesh Sanjeeda Iqbal Mahaveer P. Sharma Sanjay K. Sharma Gurbir S. Bhullar Soil Biological Activity Contributing to Phosphorus Availability in Vertisols under Long-Term Organic and Conventional Agricultural Management Frontiers in Plant Science biological properties phosphorus mobilization soil enzymes soybean–wheat system available P |
| title | Soil Biological Activity Contributing to Phosphorus Availability in Vertisols under Long-Term Organic and Conventional Agricultural Management |
| title_full | Soil Biological Activity Contributing to Phosphorus Availability in Vertisols under Long-Term Organic and Conventional Agricultural Management |
| title_fullStr | Soil Biological Activity Contributing to Phosphorus Availability in Vertisols under Long-Term Organic and Conventional Agricultural Management |
| title_full_unstemmed | Soil Biological Activity Contributing to Phosphorus Availability in Vertisols under Long-Term Organic and Conventional Agricultural Management |
| title_short | Soil Biological Activity Contributing to Phosphorus Availability in Vertisols under Long-Term Organic and Conventional Agricultural Management |
| title_sort | soil biological activity contributing to phosphorus availability in vertisols under long term organic and conventional agricultural management |
| topic | biological properties phosphorus mobilization soil enzymes soybean–wheat system available P |
| url | http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpls.2017.01523/full |
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