Author(s):

PH Rathod, SM Bhoyar, RN Katkar, PR Kadu, SD Jadhao, NM Konde, PW Deshmukh and PN Patle

Abstract: In sustainable agriculture, one of the most relevant objective is to maintain and restore the soil fertility. Continuous cropping of the land with inorganic fertilizer alone causes decline in soil organic matter and loss of inherent fertility. Global warming and its consequences are amongst the most serious problems of the present century. Agricultural crop residue burning contribute towards the emission of greenhouse gases (CO2, N2O, CH4), air pollutants (CO, NH3, NOx, SO2, NMHC, volatile organic compounds), particulates matter and smoke thereby posing threat to human health. Total amount of residue generated in 2008–09 was 620 Mt out of which ~15.9% residue was burnt on farm. Rice straw contributed 40% of the total residue burnt followed by wheat straw (22%) and sugarcane trash (20%).Conservation agriculture and recommended management practices (RMPs) collectively are helpful to offset part of the emissions due to unscientific agricultural practices. An intensive agricultural practice during the post green revolution era without caring for the environment has supposedly played a major role towards enhancement of the greenhouse gases. Due to increase in demand for food production the farmers have started growing more than one crop a year through repeated tillage operations using conventional agricultural practices. This has led to the renewed interest in use of organic manures as sources of soil organic matter. Among the available organic sources, crop residues are the most important sources of nutrients to the crop in addition to improving soil health. The application of organic matter alone to soil is not a complete substitute for inorganic fertilizer and vice-versa and their roles are complementary to each other. The knowledge on nutrient release from crop residues and their influence on physical, chemical and biological properties would be very much helpful in proper management of crop residues. This review focuses on soil properties as influenced by crop residue management.

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