Long Term Effect of Organic Cropping Systems on Hydraulic Properties of Soils

A field study on long term effect of five organic cropping systems viz. poplar + turmeric (CS1), sugarcane + bottle gourd – broccoli (CS2), basmati – wheat (CS3), sugarcane fodder (CS4) and maize + summer moong - wheat (CS5) on soil hydraulic properties was conducted at Natural Agriculture Farm and Research Centre, Dherekot, Jandiala Guru, Amritsar, Punjab. The depth wise soil samples from these cropping systems were collected after rabi (2018-19) and kharif (2019) seasons. Maximum soil water retentivity (MWR) in CS2 and CS5 was significantly higher than CS1, CS3 and CS4. In 15-22.5 cm soil layer MWR was significantly lower than 0-7.5, 7.5-15 and 22.5-30 cm soil layers. At 0.1, 0.3 and 0.5 bar matric potentials CS1 and CS2 has significantly higher soil moisture retention compared to CS3, CS4 and CS5 cropping systems. However, CS4 has significantly lower soil moisture at 0.1, 0.3, 0.5, 1 and 2 bar matric potential compared to CS5. Soil moisture retention was significantly lower in 15-22.5 cm depth compared to 0-7.5 and 7.5-15 cm depths at all matric potentials. Plant available water in CS1, CS2 and CS5 was significantly higher by 5.7, 4.9 and 2.9 percent, respectively compared to CS3 and by 5.5, 4.7 and 2.7 percent, respectively compared to CS4. Soil infiltration rate and cumulative infiltration were significantly higher in CS4 compared to all other cropping systems. Saturated hydraulic conductivity (SHC) was significantly lower in CS3 than all other cropping systems. In CS1 and CS2 SHC was at par but these cropping systems have significantly lower SHC than CS4 and CS5. Irrespective of cropping systems SHC of 22.5-30 cm layer was significantly lower than other soil depths. In different cropping systems unsaturated hydraulic conductivity (KΨ) was significantly higher in CS4 and CS5 compared to CS1, CS2 and CS3. Soil drainage rate was significantly higher in CS4 by 8.6, 19.3, 30.2 and 67.3 percent compared to CS5, CS2, CS1 and CS3, respectively.