Soil health as affected by altered land configuration and conservation tillage in a groundnut (Arachis hypogaea) - toria (Brassica campestris var toria) cropping system

A field experiment was conducted during the year 2009-11 at ICAR Research Complex for North Eastern Hill Region (NEHR), Meghalaya to study the influence of land configuration and conservation tillage on soil health in a groundnut-toria cropping system. The experiment consisted of seven treatments [i. flat bed farmer’s practice (FP) no residue; ii. broad beds and furrows (BBF) with residue incorporation; iii. BBF with residue + hedge leaves (Tephrosia sp) incorporation; iv. BBF with residue + hedge leaves (no tillage, NT); v. raised bed (RB) with residue incorporation; vi. RB with residue + hedge leaves incorporation; vii. RB with residue + hedge leaves (NT)] laid out in randomised block design and replicated thrice. The conservation treatments were found to significantly improve biological activity and chemical properties of soil. However, physical properties such as texture and bulk density were not significantly affected by any of the treatments. Infiltration rate and hydraulic conductivity were 108% and 46% higher, respectively, in the treatments under RB with residue + hedge leaves (NT) as compared to FP. Soil microbial biomass carbon was 67% higher under RB with residue + hedge leaves incorporation than FP after the harvest of both the crops in the second year while dehydrogenase activity was 135% higher in RB with residue + hedge leaves (NT) after the harvest of groundnut and RB with residue incorporation after the harvest of toria than FP, respectively. System productivity under RBs were significantly higher than that recorded under BBF and FB. Conservation treatments showed better soil health at the end of the cropping cycles and it is concluded that raised beds along with residue management can provide an alternative and sustainable technology contributing to sustainable agriculture in the NEHR of India which can be extrapolated to other similar areas.