Soil quality improvement and assessment in relation to conservation agricultural practices

Not AvailableIndian sub-continent predominantly represents wide spectrum of climate ranging from arid to semi arid, sub humid and humid with wider variation in rainfall amount and pattern. Seasonal temperature fluctuations are also vast. Soils representing rainfed regions are marginally low in organic matter status. The first predominant cause of soil degradation in rainfed regions undoubtedly is water erosion. The process of erosion sweeps away the topsoil along with organic matter and exposes the subsurface horizons. The second major indirect cause of degradation is loss of organic matter by virtue of temperature mediated fast decomposition of organic matter and robbing away of its fertility. Above all, the several other farming practices such as reckless tillage methods, harvest of every small component of biological produce and virtually no return of any plant residue back to the soil, burning of the existing residue in the field itself for preparation of clean seed bed, open grazing etc aggravate the process of soil degradation.Not Availabl