Effect of long-term fertilizer application on C-sequestration and sustainable yields of finger millet and groundnut grown under rotation in semi-arid Alfisols

• Published in: Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis Vol. 49; no. 16; pp. 2074 - 2090
• Main Authors: Sathish, A., Maruthi Sankar, G.R., Ramachandrappa, B.K., Ashoka, H.K.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Philadelphia Taylor & Francis 08-09-2018; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Aridity; Carbon sequestration; crop rotation; Eleusine coracana; Fertilizer application; Fertilizers; Field tests; Groundnuts; Millet; Organic carbon; Organic soils; Phosphorus pentoxide; rainfall; regression; Rotation; Soil; Soil fertility; Soil improvement; soil organic carbon; Soil properties; Soil quality; Sustainability; sustainability yield index; Sustainable yield
• ISSN: 0010-3624; 1532-2416; 1532-4133
• DOI: 10.1080/00103624.2018.1495730

Based on a long-term finger millet-groundnut rotation study conducted for 24-years during 1992–2015 under Alfisols at Bangalore, organic and inorganic fertilizer effects on soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration and sustainability of yield were assessed. Field experiments were conducted with T
1
:Control; T
2
:FYM@ 10t ha
−1
; T
3
:FYM@ 10t ha
−1
+ 50% NPK; T
4
:FYM@ 10t ha
−1
+ 100% NPK, and T
5
:100% recommended NPK in same plot every year. T
5
comprised of 50 kg N, 50 kg P
2
O
5
and 25 kg K
2
O ha
−1
for finger millet and 25 kg N, 50 kg P
2
O
5
and 25 kg K
2
O ha
−1
for groundnut. Sustainability yield index of treatments was assessed using measurements made on variability of yield over years. The amount of carbon sequestered was assessed to identify a superior treatment for improving soil quality. Balanced use of 100% NPK+ FYM for maintenance of SOC at antecedent level with biomass-C of 1.62 Mg C ha
−1
year
−1
was feasible for sustaining production under semi-arid Alfisols.