1ICAR – Indian Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Regional Station, Udhagamandalam, 643004, Tamil Nadu, India
2Division of Fruit Crops, ICAR – Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Hessarghatta, 560089, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
3Division of Crop Production, ICAR – Indian Institute of Sugarcane Research, Lucknow, 226002, Uttar Pradesh, India
Natural Resource Management Section, ICAR – Central Coastal Agricultural Research Institute, Old Goa, 403402, Goa, India
*Corresponding author (Email: gopal.soil@gmail.com)
Online published on 2 April, 2022.
A 13-years study was conducted from 2001 to 2013 to assess the effect of soil and water conservation (SWC) measures on soil microbial activity and carbon sequestration under high density (4 m × 4 m) cashew nut on 19% sloping land in the west coast region of India. Five SWC measures namely, continuous contour trenches + vegetative barrier (CCT+VB), staggered contour trenches + vegetative barrier (SCT+VB), crescent shape trench + vegetative barrier (CST+VB), vegetative barrier (VB), and control with no SWC measures were evaluated. The CCT+VB showed the best performance with significantly higher soil organic carbon (SOC) (1.41 to 2.02%) and SOC stock (SOCS) (44.9–57.8 Mg C ha−1) compared to control up to a depth of 0–0.9 m. The same treatment had significantly higher SOC sequestration rate (SOCSR) of 1.5 Mg C ha−1 yr−1 with significantly (p<0.05) lower SOCSR (0.9 Mg C ha−1 yr−1). Compared to other SWC measures and control, the highest average soil microbial biomass carbon (33.9 mg kg−1) and lowest metabolic quotient (qCO2) (0.52 mg CO2-C g−1 h−1) was obtained in CCT+VB indicating better soil biological activity and alleviation of environmental stress on microbes. The study indicated that SWC measures in cashew could be adopted as a strategy to improve microbial activity and soil carbon sequestration alongside advantages of reduced soil loss, runoff, and nutrient loss.
Carbon sequestration, Climate change, Climate resilient technologies, Land degradation
