Abstract
Abstract While assuming natural farming (NF) superior over conventional farming in improving physical, chemical and biological attributes, we hypothesized that the inclusion of farmyard manure (FYM) in addition to NF components would further enhance the soil quality and productivity. The objectives of the study were to assess the efficacy of NF in maize–blackgram intercropping, evaluating effect on soil quality of FYM‐integrated NF, and to identify key soil quality indicators under rainfed agroecosystem. Over a 2 years span, the factorial experiment employed Jeevamrit concentrations (J 1 : 5% and J 2 : 10%), application intervals (I 1 : 15 days and I 2 : 30 days) and FYM levels (F 1 : 0 t FYM ha −1 , F 2 : 5 t FYM ha −1 and F 3 : 10 t FYM ha −1 ) as factors, resulting in 12 combinations arranged in a randomized block design under maize intercropped blackgram. An additional recommended dose of fertilizers (RDF) enabled an orthogonal contrast to compare effects of conventional farming and bio‐farming. The results revealed that yield and soil attributes of maize, intercropped with blackgram, were significantly improved with FYM‐augmented NF system. The combined application of 10 t FYM ha −1 and 10% Jeevamrit with 15 days application interval significantly improved the bulk density (1.43 Mg m −3 ), mean weight diameter of soil aggregates (1.12 mm), saturated hydraulic conductivity (8.13 cm h −1 ) and plant available water (14.2 cm m −1 ) over rest of the treatments. The study yielded no evidence supporting the efficacy of NF on its own, as it failed to demonstrate any considerable impact on soil physical, chemical and nutrient attributes from their initial status. However, NF treatments substantially enhanced the biological activity (microbial biomass carbon by 3.88% and dehydrogenase by 21.95%) over treatment receiving RDF. The conventional farming reduced the soil organic carbon content (5.58 g kg −1 ), along with lower levels of available nitrogen (286 kg ha −1 ), phosphorus (19.2 kg ha −1 ) and sulphur (18.4 mg kg −1 ) when compared to bio‐farming. Application of 10% Jeevamrit at 15‐day span +10 t FYM ha −1 increased the maize grain equivalent yield by 8.65% over conventional farming. Soil quality index measured 0.68 under conventional farming system, 0.73 under NF that further improved to 0.90 with 10 t FYM ha −1 addition. The study demonstrates the potential synergy between FYM and the NF approach, leading to improved soil quality and agricultural productivity.
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Claims 16
Claim · model-written summary
FYM-augmented natural farming significantly improved maize yield and soil attributes.
Zea maysNot reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“yield and soil attributes of maize, intercropped with blackgram, were significantly improved with FYM‐augmented NF system”
Claim · model-written summary
Combined manure and Jeevamrit significantly improved bulk density to 1.43 Mg m −3 relative to other treatments.
- Treatment
- 10 t FYM ha −1 and 10% Jeevamrit with 15 days application intervale0
- Outcome
- bulk densitye0
- Direction
- improvede0
- Value
- 1.43 Mg m −3e0
- Comparator
- rest of the treatmentse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The combined application of 10 t FYM ha −1 and 10% Jeevamrit with 15 days application interval significantly improved the bulk density (1.43 Mg m −3 ), mean weight diameter of soil aggregates (1.12 mm), saturated hydraulic conductivity (8.13 cm h −1 ) and plant available water (14.2 cm m −1 ) over rest of the treatments.”
e1“maize–blackgram intercropping”
Claim · model-written summary
Combined manure and Jeevamrit significantly improved mean weight diameter of soil aggregates to 1.12 mm relative to other treatments.
- Treatment
- 10 t FYM ha −1 and 10% Jeevamrit with 15 days application intervale0
- Outcome
- mean weight diameter of soil aggregatese0
- Direction
- improvede0
- Value
- 1.12 mme0
- Comparator
- rest of the treatmentse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The combined application of 10 t FYM ha −1 and 10% Jeevamrit with 15 days application interval significantly improved the bulk density (1.43 Mg m −3 ), mean weight diameter of soil aggregates (1.12 mm), saturated hydraulic conductivity (8.13 cm h −1 ) and plant available water (14.2 cm m −1 ) over rest of the treatments.”
e1“maize–blackgram intercropping”
Claim · model-written summary
Combined manure and Jeevamrit significantly improved saturated hydraulic conductivity to 8.13 cm h −1 relative to other treatments.
- Treatment
- 10 t FYM ha −1 and 10% Jeevamrit with 15 days application intervale0
- Outcome
- saturated hydraulic conductivitye0
- Direction
- improvede0
- Value
- 8.13 cm h −1e0
- Comparator
- rest of the treatmentse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The combined application of 10 t FYM ha −1 and 10% Jeevamrit with 15 days application interval significantly improved the bulk density (1.43 Mg m −3 ), mean weight diameter of soil aggregates (1.12 mm), saturated hydraulic conductivity (8.13 cm h −1 ) and plant available water (14.2 cm m −1 ) over rest of the treatments.”
e1“maize–blackgram intercropping”
Claim · model-written summary
Combined manure and Jeevamrit significantly improved plant available water to 14.2 cm m −1 relative to other treatments.
- Treatment
- 10 t FYM ha −1 and 10% Jeevamrit with 15 days application intervale0
- Outcome
- plant available watere0
- Direction
- improvede0
- Value
- 14.2 cm m −1e0
- Comparator
- rest of the treatmentse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The combined application of 10 t FYM ha −1 and 10% Jeevamrit with 15 days application interval significantly improved the bulk density (1.43 Mg m −3 ), mean weight diameter of soil aggregates (1.12 mm), saturated hydraulic conductivity (8.13 cm h −1 ) and plant available water (14.2 cm m −1 ) over rest of the treatments.”
e1“maize–blackgram intercropping”
Claim · model-written summary
Natural farming alone did not considerably change initial soil physical, chemical or nutrient attributes.
- Treatment
- NF on its owne0
- Outcome
- soil physical, chemical and nutrient attributese0
- Direction
- any considerable impacte0
- Comparator
- their initial statuse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“NF on its own, as it failed to demonstrate any considerable impact on soil physical, chemical and nutrient attributes from their initial status”
e1“maize–blackgram intercropping”
Claim · model-written summary
Natural farming enhanced microbial biomass carbon by 3.88% relative to RDF.
- Treatment
- NF treatmentse0
- Outcome
- microbial biomass carbone0
- Direction
- enhancede0
- Value
- 3.88%e0
- Comparator
- treatment receiving RDFe0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“NF treatments substantially enhanced the biological activity (microbial biomass carbon by 3.88% and dehydrogenase by 21.95%) over treatment receiving RDF.”
e1“maize–blackgram intercropping”
Claim · model-written summary
Natural farming enhanced dehydrogenase by 21.95% relative to RDF.
- Treatment
- NF treatmentse0
- Outcome
- dehydrogenasee0
- Direction
- enhancede0
- Value
- 21.95%e0
- Comparator
- treatment receiving RDFe0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“NF treatments substantially enhanced the biological activity (microbial biomass carbon by 3.88% and dehydrogenase by 21.95%) over treatment receiving RDF.”
e1“maize–blackgram intercropping”
Claim · model-written summary
Conventional farming had reduced soil organic carbon content (5.58 g kg −1) than bio-farming.
- Treatment
- conventional farminge0
- Outcome
- soil organic carbon contente0
- Direction
- reducede0
- Value
- 5.58 g kg −1e0
- Comparator
- bio‐farminge0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The conventional farming reduced the soil organic carbon content (5.58 g kg −1 ), along with lower levels of available nitrogen (286 kg ha −1 ), phosphorus (19.2 kg ha −1 ) and sulphur (18.4 mg kg −1 ) when compared to bio‐farming.”
e1“maize–blackgram intercropping”
Claim · model-written summary
Conventional farming had lower available nitrogen (286 kg ha −1) than bio-farming.
- Treatment
- conventional farminge0
- Outcome
- available nitrogene0
- Direction
- lowere0
- Value
- 286 kg ha −1e0
- Comparator
- bio‐farminge0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The conventional farming reduced the soil organic carbon content (5.58 g kg −1 ), along with lower levels of available nitrogen (286 kg ha −1 ), phosphorus (19.2 kg ha −1 ) and sulphur (18.4 mg kg −1 ) when compared to bio‐farming.”
e1“maize–blackgram intercropping”
Claim · model-written summary
Conventional farming had lower phosphorus (19.2 kg ha −1) than bio-farming.
- Treatment
- conventional farminge0
- Outcome
- phosphoruse0
- Direction
- lowere0
- Value
- 19.2 kg ha −1e0
- Comparator
- bio‐farminge0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The conventional farming reduced the soil organic carbon content (5.58 g kg −1 ), along with lower levels of available nitrogen (286 kg ha −1 ), phosphorus (19.2 kg ha −1 ) and sulphur (18.4 mg kg −1 ) when compared to bio‐farming.”
e1“maize–blackgram intercropping”
Claim · model-written summary
Conventional farming had lower sulphur (18.4 mg kg −1) than bio-farming.
- Treatment
- conventional farminge0
- Outcome
- sulphure0
- Direction
- lowere0
- Value
- 18.4 mg kg −1e0
- Comparator
- bio‐farminge0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The conventional farming reduced the soil organic carbon content (5.58 g kg −1 ), along with lower levels of available nitrogen (286 kg ha −1 ), phosphorus (19.2 kg ha −1 ) and sulphur (18.4 mg kg −1 ) when compared to bio‐farming.”
e1“maize–blackgram intercropping”
Claim · model-written summary
10% Jeevamrit at 15-day intervals with 10 t FYM per hectare increased maize grain equivalent yield by 8.65% over conventional farming.
- Treatment
- 10% Jeevamrit at 15‐day span +10 t FYM ha −1e0
- Outcome
- maize grain equivalent yielde0
- Direction
- increasede0
- Value
- 8.65%e0
- Comparator
- conventional farminge0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Application of 10% Jeevamrit at 15‐day span +10 t FYM ha −1 increased the maize grain equivalent yield by 8.65% over conventional farming.”
Claim · model-written summary
Soil quality index was 0.68 under conventional farming system.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Soil quality index measured 0.68 under conventional farming system, 0.73 under NF that further improved to 0.90 with 10 t FYM ha −1 addition.”
e1“maize–blackgram intercropping”
Claim · model-written summary
Soil quality index was 0.73 under NF.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Soil quality index measured 0.68 under conventional farming system, 0.73 under NF that further improved to 0.90 with 10 t FYM ha −1 addition.”
e1“maize–blackgram intercropping”
Claim · model-written summary
Soil quality index was 0.90 under 10 t FYM ha −1 addition.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Soil quality index measured 0.68 under conventional farming system, 0.73 under NF that further improved to 0.90 with 10 t FYM ha −1 addition.”
e1“maize–blackgram intercropping”
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