Division of Soil Science & Agricultural Chemistry, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 10012, India
*Corresponding author; E-mail: patraak@gmail.com Tel: 9811733465
Application of fertilizer nitrogen in straw residues amended soil under rice sharply increased microbial biomass C and N contents up to 14 days and gradually declined thereafter. Incorporation of crop residues to rice crop also maintained significant residual effect with respect to microbial biomass C and N contents of soil during wheat growth. Wheat straw was found to be more effective in increasing biomass C and N content of soil under both the crops. It has been demonstrated that increasing levels of fertilizer nitrogen proportionately increased microbial biomass C and N, and had the maximum effect at 50 to 100 mg N kg−1 soil.
Microbial biomass C, microbial biomass N, rice and wheat residues, straw
