Maintenance of soil biological health under different crop production systems

Assessment and regular monitoring of soil health provide opportunity to evaluate land use management systems for sustainability of crop production and minimal environmental degradation. The cause of deterioration of soil health are extensive mining of nutrients from soil, huge gaps between nutrient demand and supply; emerging deficiency of micro and secondary nutrients in plants and soil; insufficient use of organic inputs in soil; development of acidity; salinity and alkalinity; build up of heavy metal toxicity and development of soil sickness due to undesirable microorganisms. Monitoring of soil health is important but the usefulness of the data will only be realized if it is used in management decisions to correct deficiencies or improve the quality of the soil resources. To assess soil health minimum data sets of physical, chemical and biological properties that can be used as quantitative indicators of soil quality/health have assumed crucial significance.