Properties of Soil as affected by INM Practices

Soil is the basis on which plant grows and a soil s potential for producing plant is largely determined by the environment that the soil provides for root growth. However, steady decline in soil fertility coupled with nutrient imbalances due to insufficient application of nutrient has led to negative nutrient balance in agriculture, impaired soil health and declining factor productivity. When depending on the fertilizers as sole nutrient input is unlikely to sustain the agricultural production system, there is urgency for developing efficient nutrient management strategies for sustaining higher crop productivity and soil health under intensive agricultural system. Integrated Nutrient management (INM) makes best possible use of diverse sources of nutrients that not only makes higher yields possible but also provides yield stability under long run. Thus, considering it of paramount significance and surge of interest at present days in soil quality assessments, an attempt has been made, in this book, to provide relevant information on the effect of INM on soil s physico-chemical and biological properties along with the crop responses under rainfed cropping sequences.