Managing Crop Residue for Soil Health Improvement in India

Le résumé fourni par la source

This chapter discusses various crop residue management issues, including strategies, effects, and challenges for soil health improvement in India. Crop residue retention is an energy-saving and environmental conservation practice. Conservation agriculture, which has been emphasized as a key route to sustainable intensification, is based on three principles: minimal soil disturbance or no-tillage/zero-tillage; continuous soil cover with a crop, cover crop, or crop residues; and crop rotation. The chapter also discusses various off-field crop residue management options for improving nutrient supply to crops, reducing inorganic fertilizer requirements, and thereby enhancing soil health. Increased soil organic carbon stock is important to maintain good soil health with sustainable crop production. Both in situ and ex situ management of residues has favorable effects on soil physical, chemical, and biological properties, such as bulk density, porosity, water-holding capacity, pH, availability of nutrients, organic carbon, and improved microbial activities.

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