From Soil Health to Economic Benefits: The Role of Organic and Natural Farming in Sustainable Agriculture
摘要
Soil degradation, driven by intensive agriculture and excessive reliance on synthetic fertilizers, poses a serious global challenge to food security and climate resilience. In regions like Punjab, India, where agriculture sustains millions of livelihoods, maintaining soil productivity is critical for long-term sustainability. To address these concerns, the present study evaluated the effects of cropping systems and nutrient management practices on soil health, microbial activity, enzymatic functions and ecosystem services, with the aim of identifying sustainable alternatives. A long-term field experiment (initiated in 2004-05 at Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, India) was assessed over three years (2021-22 to 2023-24) to compare legume and cereal-based cropping systems under contrasting nutrient management approaches, ranging from fully organic to chemical inputs. A 20-year study demonstrated that legume-based cropping systems combined with organic nutrient management significantly enhanced soil health and carbon dynamics. Soil organic carbon increased from 0.30 to 0.62% under 100% organic management, exceeding chemical fertilization by 41%. Carbon stock increased from 7.24 to to 11.04 Mg C ha− 1. The highest carbon sequestration rate (0.190 Mg C ha− 1 year− 1) was recorded under organic management system, nearly double that of chemical management (0.099 Mg C ha− 1 year− 1). Biological indicators also improved markedly viz., bacterial counts reached 8.22 log CFU g⁻¹, fungal 5.56 log CFU g⁻¹ and actinomycetes 5.69 log CFU g⁻¹ under organic legume-based systems. Enzymatic activities were highest under 100% organic management, with dehydrogenase at 8.47 µg TPF g⁻¹ h⁻¹, acid phosphatase at 18.95 µg p-NP g⁻¹ h⁻¹, alkaline phosphatase at 26.03 µg p-NP g⁻¹ h⁻¹ and β-glucosidase at 287.17 µg p-NP g⁻¹ h⁻¹. The findings demonstrate that integrating legumes with organic and natural nutrient management practices offers the most sustainable strategy for enhancing soil health, crop productivity and ecological resilience. Such integration also supports national soil health initiatives and contributes to broader sustainable development goals, reinforcing the long-term viability of climate-resilient agriculture. Legume-integrated systems, particularly rainy season moong–wheat–summer moong, supported the highest microbial populations and enzymatic activities, indicating superior soil biological functioning. Organic systems also supported the greatest microbial activity and enzyme levels, including higher dehydrogenase, phosphatase and β-glucosidase activities. Overall, fully organic and partially organic treatments delivered superior soil carbon buildup, microbial functioning, and ecosystem services compared to chemical management.