Impact of different barley-based cropping systems on soil physicochemical properties and barley growth under conventional and conservation tillage systems

This two-year study observed the influence of various barley-based cropping systems on soil physicochemical properties, allometric traits and biomass production of barley sown under different tillage systems. Barley was cultivated in different cropping systems (CS), i.e., fallow-barley (fallow-B), maize-barley (maize-B), cotton-barley (cotton-B), mungbean-barley (mungbean-B) and sorghum-barley (sorghum-B) under zero tillage (ZT), minimum tillage (MT), strip tillage (ST), conventional tillage (CT) and bed-sowing (BS). Interaction between different CS and tillage systems (TS) positively influenced soil bulk density (BD), total porosity, available phosphorus (P), ammonical and nitrate nitrogen (NH4-N and NO3-N), available potassium (K), allometric traits and biomass production of barley. The highest soil BD along with lower total porosity were noted in ZT leading to lesser leaf area index (LAI), leaf area duration (LAD), specific leaf area (SLA), crop growth rate (CGR) and net assimilation rate (NAR) of barley. Nonetheless, bed-sown barley produced the highest biomass due to better crop allometry and soil physical conditions. The highest postharvest soil available P, NH4-N, NO3-N, and K were recorded for zero-tilled barley, while BS followed by CT recorded the lowest nutrient contents. Barley in mungbean-B CS with BS produced the highest biomass, while the lowest biomass production was recorded for barely sown in fallow-B cropping system with ZT. In conclusion, barley sown after mungbean (mungbean-B cropping system) with BS seems a pragmatic choice for improving soil fertility and subsequently soil health.