Effect of crop management practices on soil’s carbon pool index, lability index and carbon management index under cotton based intercropping system in Vertisol

Abstract

Effect of crop management practices on soil’s carbon pool index, lability index and carbon management index under cotton based intercropping system in Vertisol was investigated during 2015-16 and 2016-17 on Research Farm, Department of Soil Science and Agriculture Chemistry, Dr. Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth, Akola. The treatments comprised of control (only cotton), and cotton based intercropping systems viz. cotton + dhaincha (1:1), cotton + sunhemp (1:1), cotton + green gram (1:1), cotton + cow pea (1:1), cotton + black gram (1:1), cotton + pigeon pea (6:2) and cotton + soybean (1:1) which were executed in randomized block design with three replications. The in situ incorporation of dhaincha in cotton + dhaincha intercropping system recorded improvement in physical, chemical and biological properties. Various carbon pools and soil organic carbon stock was registered highest under cotton + dhaincha (1:1) intercropping system which helped to improve carbon lability index, carbon pool index as well as carbon management index.