Application of <i>Jeevamrit</i> Improves Soil Properties in Zero Budget Natural Farming Fields
Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF), utilizing natural resources, multiple cropping systems, and cow-dung- and urine-based products to improve soil biology, has been practiced by thousands of farmers in India. However, without any scientific proof, this traditional and ancient technique is mocked as...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2023-01-01
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| Series: | Agriculture |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/13/1/196 |
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| author | Baljeet Singh Saharan Swati Tyagi Robin Kumar Vijay Hari Om Balwan Singh Mandal Joginder Singh Duhan |
| author_facet | Baljeet Singh Saharan Swati Tyagi Robin Kumar Vijay Hari Om Balwan Singh Mandal Joginder Singh Duhan |
| author_sort | Baljeet Singh Saharan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF), utilizing natural resources, multiple cropping systems, and cow-dung- and urine-based products to improve soil biology, has been practiced by thousands of farmers in India. However, without any scientific proof, this traditional and ancient technique is mocked as a bugged theory in the scientific community. In the current study, we have investigated the effect of <i>Jeevamrit</i>—cow-dung- and urine-based formulation—on soil chemical and microbial properties of the ZBNF field coupled with metagenomic analysis and the economics of ZBNF. The percentage increase in soil properties, such as organic carbon, available phosphorus, and available potassium, was recorded up to 46%, 439%, and 142%, respectively, while micronutrients, such as Zn, Fe, Cu, and Mn, also increased up to 98%, 23%, 62%, and 55%, respectively, from 2017 to 2019. Whole genome metagenomic analysis revealed that Proteobacteria were dominantly present, and bacterial phyla including <i>Bacillus</i>, <i>Pseudomonas</i>, <i>Rhizobium,</i> and <i>Panibacillus</i>. On the other hand, Ascomycota was the dominating fungal phyla present in the soil sample. Further, functional analysis showed a high representation of genes/enzymes involved in amino acids and carbohydrate metabolism contributing to soil fertility, plant growth, defense, and development. Additionally, the cost–benefit ratio of ZBNF was double the farmer’s practice when tested with the rice and wheat cropping system. The results from this study provide a new proof of concept and understanding of the potential of the ZBNF component, i.e., <i>Jeevamrit</i>, in improving soil properties. |
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| format | Article |
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| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T13:53:23Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
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| series | Agriculture |
| spelling | doaj.art-c310855971e343a3bd181b54a89735da2023-11-30T20:47:07ZengMDPI AGAgriculture2077-04722023-01-0113119610.3390/agriculture13010196Application of <i>Jeevamrit</i> Improves Soil Properties in Zero Budget Natural Farming FieldsBaljeet Singh Saharan0Swati Tyagi1Robin Kumar2Vijay3Hari Om4Balwan Singh Mandal5Joginder Singh Duhan6Department of Microbiology, Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar 125004, IndiaDepartment of Biotechnology, Jeonbuk National University, Iksan 54596, Republic of KoreaDepartment of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Acharya Narendra Dev University of Agriculture and Technology, Ayodhya 224229, IndiaDepartment of Horticulture, Maharana Pratap Horticultural University, Karnal 132001, IndiaDepartment of Agronomy, Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar 125004, IndiaDirectorate of Extension Education, Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar 125004, IndiaDepartment of Biotechnology, Chaudhary Devi Lal University, Sirsa 125055, IndiaZero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF), utilizing natural resources, multiple cropping systems, and cow-dung- and urine-based products to improve soil biology, has been practiced by thousands of farmers in India. However, without any scientific proof, this traditional and ancient technique is mocked as a bugged theory in the scientific community. In the current study, we have investigated the effect of <i>Jeevamrit</i>—cow-dung- and urine-based formulation—on soil chemical and microbial properties of the ZBNF field coupled with metagenomic analysis and the economics of ZBNF. The percentage increase in soil properties, such as organic carbon, available phosphorus, and available potassium, was recorded up to 46%, 439%, and 142%, respectively, while micronutrients, such as Zn, Fe, Cu, and Mn, also increased up to 98%, 23%, 62%, and 55%, respectively, from 2017 to 2019. Whole genome metagenomic analysis revealed that Proteobacteria were dominantly present, and bacterial phyla including <i>Bacillus</i>, <i>Pseudomonas</i>, <i>Rhizobium,</i> and <i>Panibacillus</i>. On the other hand, Ascomycota was the dominating fungal phyla present in the soil sample. Further, functional analysis showed a high representation of genes/enzymes involved in amino acids and carbohydrate metabolism contributing to soil fertility, plant growth, defense, and development. Additionally, the cost–benefit ratio of ZBNF was double the farmer’s practice when tested with the rice and wheat cropping system. The results from this study provide a new proof of concept and understanding of the potential of the ZBNF component, i.e., <i>Jeevamrit</i>, in improving soil properties.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/13/1/196zero budget natural farming (ZBNF)<i>Jeevamrit</i>bacterial communityproteobacteriafunctional analysis |
| spellingShingle | Baljeet Singh Saharan Swati Tyagi Robin Kumar Vijay Hari Om Balwan Singh Mandal Joginder Singh Duhan Application of <i>Jeevamrit</i> Improves Soil Properties in Zero Budget Natural Farming Fields Agriculture zero budget natural farming (ZBNF) <i>Jeevamrit</i> bacterial community proteobacteria functional analysis |
| title | Application of <i>Jeevamrit</i> Improves Soil Properties in Zero Budget Natural Farming Fields |
| title_full | Application of <i>Jeevamrit</i> Improves Soil Properties in Zero Budget Natural Farming Fields |
| title_fullStr | Application of <i>Jeevamrit</i> Improves Soil Properties in Zero Budget Natural Farming Fields |
| title_full_unstemmed | Application of <i>Jeevamrit</i> Improves Soil Properties in Zero Budget Natural Farming Fields |
| title_short | Application of <i>Jeevamrit</i> Improves Soil Properties in Zero Budget Natural Farming Fields |
| title_sort | application of i jeevamrit i improves soil properties in zero budget natural farming fields |
| topic | zero budget natural farming (ZBNF) <i>Jeevamrit</i> bacterial community proteobacteria functional analysis |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/13/1/196 |
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