EPH-International Journal of Agriculture and Environmental Research

EFFECTS OF SOIL COMPACTION ON WHEAT GROWTH, NUTRIENT STATUS, AND ARBUSCULAR MYCORRHIZAL

Rishav Kumar Das, Saikat Majumdar — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Soil compaction can alter soil physical conditions, nutrient availability, crop performance, and plant-microbial interactions, yet wheat varieties may differ in their responses to these constraints. This study evaluated the effects of soil compaction on soil properties, wheat growth, nutrient status, and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal (AMF) symbiosis across five spring-wheat varieties. A balanced 2 x 5 factorial design comprising compacted and non-compacted soil conditions, five wheat varieties, and four replicates per treatment-variety combination was analyzed. Soil physicochemical properties, shoot biomass, grain yield, shoot phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N), AMF root colonization, fungal lipid biomarkers, and AMF diversity were assessed. Compaction significantly increased soil bulk density and nitrate concentration. Shoot biomass and grain yield did not differ significantly between treatments, whereas shoot P and N concentrations were significantly greater under compacted conditions. Overall AMF colonization, PLFA and NLFA biomarkers, virtual-taxon richness, Shannon diversity, and Simpson diversity were not significantly affected by compaction. However, cultivar-specific responses were evident, with Alderon showing a pronounced increase in AMF root colonization under compacted conditions. Variety significantly influenced grain yield and shoot nutrient concentrations. These findings demonstrate that soil compaction influences wheat primarily through changes in soil physical conditions and nutrient status, while AMF responses depend partly on wheat genotype.

LAND-USE EFFECTS ON SOIL CARBON DIOXIDE EMISSIONS, MOISTURE, TEMPERATURE, AND POROSITY IN AGRICULTURAL LANDSCAPES

Dr. Srinivasan Nagaraj — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Land-use change can modify soil carbon dynamics by altering soil temperature, moisture, structure, and biological activity. This study evaluated the effects of contrasting agricultural land-use systems on soil CO₂ emissions, soil moisture, soil temperature, bulk density, and porosity. A total of 120 observations were considered across cropland, orchard, grassland, and fallow land. Descriptive statistics, one-way ANOVA, correlation analysis, and multiple linear regression were used to assess differences among land uses and identify major predictors of soil CO₂ emissions. Cropland recorded the highest mean CO₂ emission, soil temperature, and bulk density, whereas grassland showed the highest soil moisture and porosity. Land-use effects were statistically significant for all measured variables. Soil CO₂ emission was positively correlated with soil temperature, moisture, and bulk density and negatively correlated with porosity. Regression analysis explained 64% of the variation in CO₂ emission, with soil temperature emerging as the strongest continuous predictor, followed by soil moisture, while porosity showed a negative effect. Land-use category remained significant after adjustment for soil conditions. These findings indicate that soil CO₂ emissions are jointly controlled by land management, soil microclimate, and physical structure, emphasizing the need for integrated soil-management strategies in sustainable agricultural landscapes.

CROP TYPE, FIELD POSITION, AND LANDSCAPE LEGACY AS DRIVERS OF WEED SEED-BANK DIVERSITY IN AGRICULTURAL ECOSYSTEMS

Sandeep Govindappa Shinde, Dr. Ambika More — Sat, 25 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Weed seed banks provide an integrated record of past cropping, spatial heterogeneity, and long-term management within agricultural ecosystems. This study evaluated how crop type, field position, and landscape legacy were associated with weed seed-bank diversity across 24 paired samples from 12 agricultural fields. The dataset comprised 40 weed species from 19 botanical families and 1,458 emerged individuals. Seed-bank structure was assessed using species richness, total abundance, Shannon diversity, Simpson diversity, and community composition. Maize-associated samples exhibited the highest mean richness and abundance, but differences among maize, soybean, and wheat–soybean fields were not statistically significant. Field-position contrasts likewise showed no significant differences, although one position supported greater abundance while the other maintained higher diversity and evenness. In contrast, pronounced field-to-field variation and a stronger regional signal in community composition indicated a greater influence of persistent site conditions and cropping-history legacy. NMDS and PERMANOVA further showed substantial overlap among crop and field-position groups, suggesting that short-term agronomic categories alone did not account for the observed heterogeneity. Dominance by Portulaca oleracea and Amaranthus quitensis also contributed strongly to differences in community structure. Overall, weed seed-bank diversity was more closely associated with persistent site-level and historical influences than with short-term crop identity or field position.

EFFECTS OF TILLAGE AND STRAW MANAGEMENT ON SOIL PHYSICAL PROPERTIES AND CROP YIELD UNDER SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION

Markordor W Pasweth, J. Marimuthu, Surbhi Mandal — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The impact of different tillage and straw-management systems on soil structural properties, nutrient retention, soil quality and crop productivity under sustainable agricultural production was evaluated in this study. Five management systems were taken into consideration: bare soil, conventional tillage, no-till with straw mulching, trench-applied straw mulching and surface straw mulching. Water-stable aggregate distribution, mean weight diameter, geometric mean diameter, percentage aggregate destruction, aggregate-associated SOC and soil N were water applied as indicators of soil response, along with soil quality index. Yields of peanut and rapeseed were also compared by treatments grown. In general, the straw-retaining systems had a better soil structure than that of bare soil and conventional tillage. The no-till system with straw mulching and surface straw mulching gave better aggregate stability and soil quality, and the trench-applied straw mulching improved the carbon and nitrogen contents in some aggregates. The peanut yield was significantly higher under all straw-management treatments than the peanut yield under the non-straw treatment; the peanut yield under surface straw mulching was the highest, while the peanut yield under trench-applied straw mulching was also the highest. The overall results of the reduced soil disturbance coupled with good straw return are positive on soil aggregation, soil nutrient content and crop productivity, which shows the benefit for sustainable and resilient agricultural production. The results highlight the practicality of integrated soil residue management as a soil restoration technique.

SOIL ORGANIC CARBON AND pH VARIABILITY ACROSS COCOA-PRODUCING AGROECOLOGICAL ZONES: IMPLICATIONS FOR SITE-SPECIFIC SOIL FERTILITY MANAGEMENT

Anil Kumar Singh — Sat, 25 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The soil organic carbon (SOC) and soil pH are both important characteristics of soil fertility and play important roles in soil nutrient availability, biological activity, and long-term cocoa production. The study quantified the SOC and pH variation for the different cocoa-producing agroecological zones of Ghana and determined the implications for site-specific fertility management. Seven hundred and thirty-nine observations from cocoa-farm soils across the six agroecological zones were used for the analysis of a secondary dataset through descriptive statistics, variability measures, correlation analysis, multivariable regression, and spatial assessment. Mean SOC was 0.393 ± 0.235, while mean soil pH was 5.345 ± 0.744. The highest mean for SOC and pH was recorded for MSNW, while the lowest was recorded for DSIZ for SOC and WE for pH. The relative variability of SOC was significantly larger than that of pH. There was a weak, but significant, positive correlation between SOC and pH. SOC was related to agroecological zone, pH and clay content and among the parameters of pH variation were associated with agroecological zone, clay content, exchangeable iron and aluminium. The results indicate that there are different fertility limitations in the cocoa soils depending on the zones. Incorporating SOC and pH can in turn, help to manage for targeted restoration of organic matter, acidity correction and better management of site-specific soil fertility for sustainable cocoa production, in a heterogeneous cocoa-growing landscape in the face of changing environmental conditions.