Impact of natural farming practices on the Physico-chemical and chemical properties of soil in wheat-mustard cropping systems

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during the rabi seasons of 2022-23 and 2023-24 under the All India Network Programme on Organic Farming (AI-NPOF) at the Instructional Research Farm, Krishi Nagar, JNKVV, Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh. The study evaluated six crop management practices in a randomized block design with four replications using wheat (JW-3382) as the base crop and mustard (Pusa Agrani) as the intercrop in an 8:2 row arrangement. Treatments included, T1: Control (Excluding all inputs except labour for weeding), T2: Complete Natural Farming Practices, T3: Organic Management Practices, T4: ICM (50% nutrient through organic and 50% nutrient through inorganic sources + natural pesticides), T5: ICM (50% nutrient through organic and 50% nutrient through inorganic sources + need based pesticides) and T6: Conventional Management Practices. The results indicated that soil organic carbon, pH, and electrical conductivity (EC) were not significantly influenced across treatments, though a general trend of decreased organic carbon, increased pH, and decreased EC was observed compared to initial values. The highest organic carbon (0.616%) and pH (6.818) were recorded under Organic Management Practices, while the highest EC (0.217 dS m-1) was observed under Organic Management Practices and ICM in pooled analysis. Soil nutrient availability (N, P, K) was significantly influenced by the treatments. Organic Management Practices showed the highest available N (300.25 kg ha-1), P (21.17 kg ha-1), and K (318.61 kg ha¬-1) in pooled analysis, outperforming all other treatments except control.