Description
Grasses are essential sources of fodder for livestock and provide options for climate resilience due to their broad range of adoption. They are also valuable resources for soil quality enhancement. Therefore, a six-year field study using nine grasses (2013 to 2019) was initiated in a semi-arid region of central India. The study aimed to assess the short-term impact of these nine grasses on soil carbon stock, selected soil physiochemical and biological properties, and green fodder yield. Results (after six years) revealed that a greater carbon stock (7.0 and 7.2 Mg ha–1), carbon sustainability index (71.6 and 89.3), and sustainable yield index for green fodder (0.89 and 0.91), respectively, were observed in lampagrass [Heteropogon contortus (L.)] and guineagrass [Megathyrsus maximus(Jacq.)]. These improvements could be due to the greater root length (1700 and 2220 cm plant–1) and root weight density of grasses in the upper soil layer (0–10 cm, 70%), and the higher green biomass production (~44.1 t ha–1 year–1). These beneficial changes might have further led to the lower soil bulk density (~1.05 g cm–3), higher water-filled porosity (14.7 and 16.1%), and soil organic carbon content (~0.67%) over other grasses and barren soil. Consequently, the highest total bacterial count (21.9 and 44.5 × 107 CFU g–1), soil microbial biomass carbon and enzyme activities such as acid phosphatase (17.7 and 22.6 µg p-nitrophenyl g–1 h–1) and alkaline phosphatase (9.6 and 15.9 µg p-nitrophenyl g–1 h–1) were noticed in lampagrass and guineagrass rhizospheres. Therefore, cultivation of perennial grasses in the low fertile soils of semi-arid environments can be an eco-friendly approach to enhance soil fertility, green fodder supply, and soil carbon build-up.
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Agricultural Science Commons, Agronomy and Crop Sciences Commons, Plant Biology Commons, Plant Pathology Commons, Soil Science Commons, Weed Science Commons
Short-Term Effect of Forage Grasses on Carbon Sustainability, Fodder Security, and Soil Properties in Poor Soils of Semi-Arid India
Grasses are essential sources of fodder for livestock and provide options for climate resilience due to their broad range of adoption. They are also valuable resources for soil quality enhancement. Therefore, a six-year field study using nine grasses (2013 to 2019) was initiated in a semi-arid region of central India. The study aimed to assess the short-term impact of these nine grasses on soil carbon stock, selected soil physiochemical and biological properties, and green fodder yield. Results (after six years) revealed that a greater carbon stock (7.0 and 7.2 Mg ha–1), carbon sustainability index (71.6 and 89.3), and sustainable yield index for green fodder (0.89 and 0.91), respectively, were observed in lampagrass [Heteropogon contortus (L.)] and guineagrass [Megathyrsus maximus(Jacq.)]. These improvements could be due to the greater root length (1700 and 2220 cm plant–1) and root weight density of grasses in the upper soil layer (0–10 cm, 70%), and the higher green biomass production (~44.1 t ha–1 year–1). These beneficial changes might have further led to the lower soil bulk density (~1.05 g cm–3), higher water-filled porosity (14.7 and 16.1%), and soil organic carbon content (~0.67%) over other grasses and barren soil. Consequently, the highest total bacterial count (21.9 and 44.5 × 107 CFU g–1), soil microbial biomass carbon and enzyme activities such as acid phosphatase (17.7 and 22.6 µg p-nitrophenyl g–1 h–1) and alkaline phosphatase (9.6 and 15.9 µg p-nitrophenyl g–1 h–1) were noticed in lampagrass and guineagrass rhizospheres. Therefore, cultivation of perennial grasses in the low fertile soils of semi-arid environments can be an eco-friendly approach to enhance soil fertility, green fodder supply, and soil carbon build-up.
