ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Effect of Site-Specific Integrated Nutrient
Management on Soil Fertility under Cotton-Wheat
Cropping System of Punjab Pakistan
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Soil Fertility Research Institute, Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan
Submission date: 2020-01-05
Final revision date: 2020-03-12
Acceptance date: 2020-03-16
Online publication date: 2020-07-17
Publication date: 2020-10-05
Corresponding author
Muhammad Akram Qazi
Agriculture, Soil Fertility Research Institute, Punjab, Lahore, Lahore, Pakistan
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2021;30(1):305-313
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ABSTRACT
Cotton-wheat rotation is one of the profitable cropping systems under arid climatic conditions in
the agro-ecosystem of Punjab, Pakistan. The cropping system’s productivity factor is decreasing and is
considered primarily due to imbalanced and non-integrated use of nutrients without taking care of soil
health measures. Exploring the role of integrated site-specific nutrient management plans, treatments
containing 2 fertilizer doses, and 3 management techniques on soil organic matter (SOM), soil
P & soil K were studied in the cotton-wheat system of Punjab Pakistan for six crop seasons on a
permanent layout. Substantial increase of 54-70% in SOM over the initial level of 5.0 g Kg-1 in sandy
loam soil was observed by adapting integrated nutrients management (INM) techniques. Similarly,
significantly improved level of soil test phosphorus STP was observed at the end of the sixth crop
season and INM techniques resulted in a 429% to 453% increase in STP. However, statistical analysis
revealed a non-significant effect of doses, and a significant declining effect on soil K was observed with
the applied technique of only mineral fertilizer application. Highly negative K balance suggests that the
system will not be able to sustain the long-term supply of K. Ranking of indices from the best to the
least favorable was recorded as P>SOM>K.