Soil biochemical properties and nutritional quality of rice cultivated in acidic inceptisols using long-term organic farming practices

Abstract

The enriched compost (ECM) comprising rock phosphate and biofertilizer consortia (BC) is a cheap source of organic input. A long-term field trial was initiated in kharif–2011 with the following treatment combinations used for rice sole-cropping: T1, absolute control; T2, 3.5 kg ha−1 biofertilizer consortia; T3, 5.0 t ha−1 compost (CM); T4, 5.0 t ha−1 CM + 3.5 kg ha−1 BC; T5, 2.5 t ha−1 ECM; T6, 5.0 t ha−1 ECM; and T7, 0.5 t ha−1 Azolla + 3.5 kg ha−1 BC. Owing to the usage of ECM for nine consecutive years, the organic carbon pools and biochemical properties of the soil were enhanced, and the nutritional quality of rice was enriched. Further, the potassium permanganate oxidizable carbon, total organic carbon, and microbial biomass carbon increased by 46%, 20%, and 15%, respectively, in the surface soil with T6 relative to T3. Such finding highlights the benefit of ECM application relative to CM and BC in enhancing rice nutritional quality and soil biochemical properties. Overall, the study suggests the use of 5 t ECM ha–1 to improve the soil biochemical properties and nutritional quality of rice subjected to acidic inceptisol.