LAUSR

ABSTRACT Inclusion of a legume crop in a cropping system can improve soil physical and chemical properties, particularly in predominantly rice cultivating areas. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was performed between different soils and cropping systems to evaluate soil physical and chemical properties in Balod District of Chhattisgarh state of India. Among the soils, inVertisols, bulk density (BD) (p = .024), hydraulic conductivity (HC) (p < .005), available Fe (p < .005), available Mn (p < .005), available Zn (p < .005) and available B (p < .005) were found to be significantly lower than that of Inceptisols. However, significantly higher for porosity (p = .040), field capacity (FC) (p < .005), wilting point (WP) (p < .005), water holding capacity (WHC) (p < .005), mean weight diameter (MWD) (p < .005), soil pH (p < .005), electrical conductivity (EC) (p < .005), organic carbon (OC) (p < .005), available N (p < .005), available P (p < .005), available K (p < .005) and available S (p < .005). Tukey’s post-hoc test for multiple comparisons indicated that BD was found significantly higher for soils under rice-wheat (RW) cropping system, than that of soils under rice-chickpea (RC) (p < .005), rice-lathyrus (RL) (p < .005), and rice-fallow (RF) (p = .032). However, other soil properties i.e. porosity, FC, WP, WHC, HC, MWD, soil pH, OC, available N, available P, available K, available S, and available Zn were found significantly higher for soils under rice-legume cropping system (RC and RL), than that of soils under RW and RL. Thus, from the study, it is concluded that inclusion of legumes into cropping systems maintained better soil physical and chemical properties and helpful to work out the best management practices for sustaining intensive cultivation.