ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Exploration of Soil Carbon Sequestration
in Relation to C:N:P:S Stoichiometry
under Dynamic Cropping Systems
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1
Land Resources Research Institute, National Agriculture Research Center (NARC), 45500, Islamabad, Pakistan
2
Institute of Soil and Environmental Sciences, Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University, Rawapindi, Pakistan
3
Depatment of Plant Sciences, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, 45320, Islamabad, Pakistan
4
Department of Zoology, College of Science, King Saud university, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
5
Department of Life Sciences, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan 38541, Republic of Korea
Submission date: 2024-08-06
Final revision date: 2024-09-20
Acceptance date: 2024-11-16
Online publication date: 2024-12-18
Corresponding author
Qaiser Hussain
Institute of Soil and Environmental Sciences, Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University, Rawapindi, Pakistan
Wajid Zaman
Department of Life Sciences, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan 38541, Republic of Korea
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ABSTRACT
Climate change impacts soil carbon storage by increasing temperatures, which accelerate organic
matter decomposition and reduce soil carbon retention. Elevated temperatures and extreme weather
events affect organic matter stability and carbon storage by disrupting C:N:P balance. Soil carbon storage
is dependent on nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur, which help its stabilization in soil. However, there is
limited information on how C:N:P:S stoichiometry affects soil carbon storage under prevailing climatic
scenarios in different cropping systems. To address this gap, a two-year field experiment was conducted
at the National Agricultural Research Centre in Islamabad. The study investigated maize-wheat
(cereal-cereal) and fallow-wheat (fallow-cereal) cropping systems. Results showed that the highest
concentrations of soil organic carbon (SOC), carbon fractions, and available nitrogen, phosphorus,
and sulfur were found in the optimum humification treatment (based on 30% of humus C:N:P:S
stoichiometry) for both cropping systems. This treatment resulted in an 8% increase in maize yield under
the maize-wheat system and a 13-17% increase in wheat grain yield compared to the recommended dose
treatment in both systems. Additionally, soil organic carbon sequestration increased by 34-36% in the
maize-wheat system and 27-33% in the fallow-wheat system under the optimum humification treatment
compared to sole straw incorporation. The study concludes that optimal humification practices enhance
soil carbon storage by increasing microbial activity through higher organic matter inputs, thereby
boosting the agricultural productivity of major cropping systems in Punjab, Pakistan.