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Soil Microbial Characteristics in Sub-Tropical Agro-Ecosystems of North Western Himalaya


Affiliations
1 Department of Silviculture and Agroforestry, Dr Y. S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan 173 230, India
2 Department of Forestry, Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya Pundibari, Cooch Behar 736 165, India
3 Department of Agronomy (Agroforestry), Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Rajiv Gandhi South Campus, Banaras Hindu University, Mirzapur 231 001, India
 

Eight predominant land use systems, viz. agriculture (T1), horticulture (T2), agrisilviculture (T3), silvopastoral (T4), agrihorticulture (T5), agrihortisilviculture (T6), forest (T7) and grassland (T8) of subtropical parts of Himachal Pradesh were selected along two altitudinal ranges A1 (365–635 m amsl) and A2 (636– 914 m amsl) to observe the variation in soil microbial activity and microbial characteristics. Agroforestry land uses and forest ecosystems displayed significantly higher microbial counts and microbial biomass carbon than agriculture and grasslands. The CO2 evolution (soil microbial activity) was found higher in agrisilviculture, agrihortisilviculture, forest and grass-land use systems at both altitudinal ranges. Soil biological properties (microbial count, microbial biomass and microbial activity) were maximum in forest landuse system. Among the agroforestry land-use systems, agrisilviculture had significantly higher microbial counts. The maximum microbial count (164.50 × 105 cfu g–1 soil) was recorded in forest and remained statistically at par with agrisilviculture (162.34 × 105 cfu g–1 soil). Minimum microbial count (80.66 × 105 cfu g–1 soil) was observed in agriculture land use. At both the altitudinal ranges, the CO2 evolution was highest at 48 h time interval and decreased thereafter. The metabolic quotient (qCO2) indicated that C-use efficiency is higher in grassland use and agriculture land use systems than other studied systems.

Keywords

Microbial Biomass Carbon, CO2 Evolution, Metabolic Quotient, Land Uses.
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  • Soil Microbial Characteristics in Sub-Tropical Agro-Ecosystems of North Western Himalaya

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Authors

Rahul Singh
Department of Silviculture and Agroforestry, Dr Y. S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan 173 230, India
D. R. Bhardwaj
Department of Silviculture and Agroforestry, Dr Y. S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan 173 230, India
Nazir A. Pala
Department of Forestry, Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya Pundibari, Cooch Behar 736 165, India
Rajesh Kaushal
Department of Silviculture and Agroforestry, Dr Y. S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan 173 230, India
Bhalendra Singh Rajput
Department of Agronomy (Agroforestry), Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Rajiv Gandhi South Campus, Banaras Hindu University, Mirzapur 231 001, India

Abstract


Eight predominant land use systems, viz. agriculture (T1), horticulture (T2), agrisilviculture (T3), silvopastoral (T4), agrihorticulture (T5), agrihortisilviculture (T6), forest (T7) and grassland (T8) of subtropical parts of Himachal Pradesh were selected along two altitudinal ranges A1 (365–635 m amsl) and A2 (636– 914 m amsl) to observe the variation in soil microbial activity and microbial characteristics. Agroforestry land uses and forest ecosystems displayed significantly higher microbial counts and microbial biomass carbon than agriculture and grasslands. The CO2 evolution (soil microbial activity) was found higher in agrisilviculture, agrihortisilviculture, forest and grass-land use systems at both altitudinal ranges. Soil biological properties (microbial count, microbial biomass and microbial activity) were maximum in forest landuse system. Among the agroforestry land-use systems, agrisilviculture had significantly higher microbial counts. The maximum microbial count (164.50 × 105 cfu g–1 soil) was recorded in forest and remained statistically at par with agrisilviculture (162.34 × 105 cfu g–1 soil). Minimum microbial count (80.66 × 105 cfu g–1 soil) was observed in agriculture land use. At both the altitudinal ranges, the CO2 evolution was highest at 48 h time interval and decreased thereafter. The metabolic quotient (qCO2) indicated that C-use efficiency is higher in grassland use and agriculture land use systems than other studied systems.

Keywords


Microbial Biomass Carbon, CO2 Evolution, Metabolic Quotient, Land Uses.

References





DOI: https://doi.org/10.18520/cs%2Fv115%2Fi10%2F1956-1959