Impact of Low Cost Indigenous Soil Inputs on Soil Fertility in different Fallow Lands following Shifting Cultivation in Muallungthu, Mizoram

Abstract

The study was conducted to determine the physico-chemical and biological properties of the soil in response to low cost indigenous soil amendments in three jhum fallows (FL-3, FL-5 and FL-10) in Muallungthu village, Mizoram for two consecutive years (2013 and 2014). Different applications like microbial inoculation (Tmicro+) of beneficial rhizosphere microbes; top soil (Tsoil+) and litter(Tlitter+) (@ 5 t ha-1) from adjoining forest were made in triplicate plots along with control plots. Soil samples (100-150 g) were collected from the upper soil layer (0-10 cm depth) from three random locations within each sub-plot and composited to make a total of 12 samples per site. The result showed that pH, soil organic C, total N, NH4- N, NO3-N, avail- P and K were significantly higher (p<0.05) in Tlitter+overTc. Soil microbial properties (MBC and N, GSA, PHA, DHA) were also significantly higher (p<0.05) in Tlitter+ followed by Tmicro+. The level of soil physico-chemical and microbial properties significantly increases with fallow ages. The soil fertility declined from first year cropping to second year cropping. It is concluded that the application of Tlitter+ and Tmicro+ on three fallows strongly increased soil fertility level and therefore recommended for future application and trials in shifting fallows of Mizoram.