Evaluation of soil quality parameters in a tropical paddy soil amended with rice residues and tree litters

Laboratory and greenhouse experiments were conducted to study the effects of applications of rice residue and Pongamia pinnata and Azadirachta indica leaf litters on biochemical properties (extraction yield of humus, composition of humus, microbial biomass carbon, activities of urease and acid phosphatase) of a lowland rice soil under flooded conditions. Bulk soil sample collected from the Mandya paddy fields was used for the green house trials and the laboratory incubation studies. The organic materials were added at three rates – zero, 25.0 g carbon kg⁻¹ (2.5% C) and 50.0 g carbon kg⁻¹ dry soil (5.0% C). Results showed that tree leaf litter and rice residue at 5.0% C rate decreased instantaneous decay constant (k), there by retarded the rate of C mineralization. Carbon contents of HA increased with the rate of C added. Study of delta–log K values and C contents of humic acids revealed that greatest molecular weight of HA was in the pongamia litter treatment, followed by neem litter and rice residue. Grain and straw yields of rice crop in the pot culture study were statistically correlated to the soil quality parameters. Neem and pongamia tree litter incorporation at 2.5% C could be considered for improving soil health and crop yields of rice under flooded conditions; however, application at higher rates significantly (P ≤ 0.05) lowered total dry matter production in rice, despite favorable soil health parameters such as humic yields, microbial biomass – C content and acid phosphatase and urease activity. Among different soil health parameters, microbial quotient was found to be more sensitive indicator of decline in soil quality.     

灌溉施用废水和蚯蚓类肥料对土壤生物化学以及农学特性的影响

To study how wastewater（WW） and different organic sources（humic substances or vermicompost） affected soil chemical and biochemical fertility and agronomic productivity in field-grown melon, an experiment arranged in a randomized complete block design with three replications was conducted with the following treatments： three different mixtures of irrigation water（100% WW, 50% WW with 50% groundwater, and 100% groundwater） and, for each WW treatment, four different organic fertilization treatments of control without organic matter application（CK）, vermicompost used as surface mulch（SM）, vermicompost incorporated into the soil（VC）,and humic substances extracted by vermicompost（HS）. Chemical and biochemical results indicated an improvement in soil fertility,suggested by the increase in soil organic carbon and nutrient（nitrate and macro- and microelements） contents and in soil microbial activities（hydrolytic and oxidative enzymes）, in particular in the VC treatments. In addition, even soil potential metabolism was stimulated by WW combined with organic treatments, as highlighted by the increase in the metabolic（dehydrogenase activity/watersoluble carbon） and nitrification indices（NO-3and NH＋4）. Melon productivity confirmed these results, with the highest yield and melon quality in the VC treatments irrigated with 100% WW. In conclusion, the combined use of WW and organic amendment,recovering both mineral and organic nutrients from these kinds of recycled materials, was effective in the improvement of soil quality and crop productivity.     

Nitrogen use Rationalization and Boosting Wheat Productivity by Applying Packages ‎of Humic,Amino Acids,and Microorganisms

ABSTRACT

Integrated management of soil organic matter and nutritional status of crop plants is essential to sustain the production of organic farming systems. Thus, a 2–year field experiment was conducted to examine the effects of soil additions (192 kg N ha^–1, humic+192 kg N ha^–1, humic+144 kg N ha^–1 and humic+96 kg N ha^–1) and foliar applications (amino acids, Azotobacter+yeast, and amino acids plus Azotobacter+yeast) as various fertilizer resources on growth and yield of wheat. Results showed that humic+192 kg N ha^–1 × amino acids plus Azotobacter+yeast were the effective combination for producing the highest values of flag leaf area, total dry weight, tiller number m^–2, spike weight m^–2, and grain yield ha^–1. Under foliar application of amino acids plus Azotobacter+yeast, reducing N supply from recommended rate (192 kg N ha^–1) to 144 kg N ha^–1+ humic achieved higher values of all yield traits, with a saving of 25% of applied mineral nitrogen as well as enhancing nitrogen use efficiency.     

Rehabilitation of saline soil with biogas digestate,humic acid,calcium humate and their amalgamations

ABSTRACT

Amelioration of saline soil is a requisite in order to increase crop productivity. A soil incubation study was performed for 60 days using digestate, humic acid, calcium humate and their combinations to investigate the influence on physical, chemical, microbial and enzyme activities of saline soil. Overall, digestate combined with calcium humate followed by humic acid treatments have shown their potency in decreasing the soil pH, electrical conductivity (EC), and sodium ion (Na⁺) concentration, and increase in potassium ion (K ⁺), calcium ion (Ca ²⁺), magnesium ion (Mg ²⁺), mean weight diameter (MWD), soil enzyme activities, microbial biomass carbon (MBC), MBC: microbial biomass nitrogen (MBN) and soil respiration than control. The digestate, humic acid individually and their amalgamation evidenced greater MBN among all the treatments. The digestate alone efficiently improved the soil properties than humic acid and calcium humate individual groups except for the MWD where it is pronounced more in the latter groups. The greater metabolic quotient (qCO₂) was observed in control than organic matter amended treatments indicating the stress conditions. The increase in water-extractable organic matter (WEOM) with minimal aromaticity (specific ultraviolet absorbance at 254 nm-Suva ₂₅₄) in integrated amendments comprising groups, laid the ground reason to improve the properties of saline soil. Therefore, this study concludes that the fusion of fresh and humified substrates could facilitate reclamation.     

Peanut Straw Decomposition Products Promoted by Chemical Additives and Their Effect on Enzymatic Activity and Microbial Functional Diversity in Red Soil

ABSTRACT

The objectives of the present study were to determine the promotional effect of chemical additives on quality of peanut straw decomposition products and to evaluate the influence of the resulting products on soil biological properties. Straw was mixed with or without chemical additives, such as iron(II) sulfate (FeSO₄), alkali slag, or FeSO₄ combined with alkali slag, and decomposed for 50 days. The decomposition products were used as organic fertilizer and added to red soil for an incubation experiment. The chemical additives increased total organic carbon (C), total nitrogen (N), and available N content but decreased the C:N ratios in decomposition products compared to controls. Adding FeSO₄ gave the highest humic acid content (HA, 30.34 g kg^?1) and ratio of humic to fulvic acid (HA/FA, 0.53) and the lowest ratio of HA absorption value at 465 nm to that at 665 nm (E₄/E₆, 6.05), suggesting high humification of decomposition products. Application of the resulting products to soil increased soil urease and invertase activities. BIOLOG analysis showed that microbial C utilization ability, Shannon–Weaver diversity, and McIntosh evenness indexes were improved by the organic fertilizer promoted by chemical additives. Principal component analysis indicated that microbial community structures were also influenced by different amendments in decomposition products. Our study provides a reference point for acquiring high quality straw compost and improving soil biological functions by organic fertilizer.     

Effect of humic preparation on winter wheat productivity and rhizosphere microbial community under herbicide-induced stress

Purpose

The aim of the present work was to study the effect of humic preparation on the yielding capacity of winter wheat, the dynamics of mineral nutrients in the rhizosphere, and the activity of rhizosphere microbial community, as well as the protective properties of humate treatment under the stress caused by the application of a sulfonylurea herbicide.

Materials and methods

The humic preparation BIO-Don is prepared from vermicompost by alkaline extraction. The effect of humic preparation was estimated in a field experiment. The contents of the mobile ammonium and nitrate, exchangeable potassium, phosphorus, and humus were determined. Sampling and nutrient determination were performed in the tillering, booting, and grain maturing stages. Production experiments on the study of the combined effect of the humic preparation and the sunfonylurea pesticide Granstar Pro were performed in 2015 and 2017. The dynamics of mobile phosphorus in soil was studied. The abundance of culturable bacteria in the rhizosphere and bacterial species with different ecological strategies was determined. The dominant bacterial species were identified by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry.

Results and discussion

The results of a small-plot experiment showed that at the tillering stage, the use of humic preparation has led to significantly higher supply of soil with mobile phosphorus. The winter wheat yield was 32.0 dt/ha in the control and 39.2 dt/ha with humic preparation or 22.5% gain in yield. The results of production experiment show that the application of sulfonylurea herbicide induced a chemical stress on winter wheat plants, but the use of humic preparation reduced this effect and increased the availability of phosphorus compounds. The treatment of plants with pesticides caused the general decrease in abundance of bacteria in the rhizosphere. The effect on quickly growing bacteria is more pronounced, while slowly growing bacteria and fungi are more resistant to this impact.

Conclusions

The application of humic preparation to winter wheat plantations allows to decrease the toxic effect of sulfonylurea herbicide, improve the supply of soil with mineral nutrients, and increase the crop yield. The favorable effects of humic preparation can be related to the active regulation of phosphorus mobilization by plants through the mechanism of root exudates due to the activation of root microbiota.

     

南方酸性旱坡地桔园有机无机肥料配合施用效应研究

通过2年定位试验研究了有机无机肥料配施对南方旱坡地果园柑桔(沙糖桔)产量和品质的影响,并比较了土壤可培养微生物数量、土壤微生物碳、氮、柑桔根际土壤活性铝含量及柑桔根系铝含量的变化。结果表明,与100%化肥处理(CK)相比,20%有机肥+80%化肥(T1)、40%有机肥+60%化肥(T2)、100%有机肥(T3)处理的细菌、放线菌、真菌数量均显著提高,平均分别是对照的1.30、1.40、1.46倍;土壤微生物量碳、氮显著增加,其中T3处理的土壤微生物量碳、氮分别增加45.6%6、3.3%。施用有机肥后,活跃了土壤中的微生物种群,改善了土壤的生物学质量。施用有机肥可缓解旱坡地柑桔园根际土壤铝毒的危害,显著减少柑桔根系对土壤铝的吸收累积。尤其是T3处理,根际土壤活性铝含量较CK有大幅度的降低,降幅达到77.4%。施用有机肥明显地促进了柑桔根系的生长发育,提高果实产量和品质,沙糖桔平均增产率18.5%,增产效果显著。     

Soil microbial biomass and organic matter composition in soils under cultivation

To determine whether there is a relationship between the composition of soil organic matter and the activity of the soil microbial biomass, the composition of the organic matter in 12 typical arable soils in Northwest Germany was investigated by wet chemical analysis and CPMAS cross polarization magic angle spinning ¹³C-NMR spectroscopy. The data were correlated with the microbial biomass as estimated by substrate-induced respiration. A strong correlation between the microbial biomass and alkylic C compounds was observed (r=-0.960^***). Recalcitrant substances were enriched in this fraction, which were classified as humic acids according to the wet chemical procedure. The microbial decomposition of these humic acids is probably retarded, due to their chemical structure and/or physical bonding, when the soil microbial biomass activity is limited.     

Crop management advances for nutritional status and fruit yield of guava in semiarid

Guava is an important fruit species but poorly studied for the effect of humic substances and soil mulching on its nutrition and fruit production. Thus, an experiment was conducted to evaluate the nutritional status and fruit production of guava as a function of humic substances and soil mulching in Brazilian semiarid. The experimental design was in randomized blocks with treatments distributed in a factorial arrangement (5?×?2) referring to humic substances doses (0, 10, 20, 30 and 40?mL of Humitec plant^?1) and organic mulching (with and without organic mulching). Nutritional status of guava is affected by humic substances and soil mulching. The use of humic substances combined with soil mulching promotes optimum supplies of nitrogen, phosphorus, calcium, sulfur, boron and iron, but not calcium, copper and zinc. Under sandy soil and semiarid climate it is possible to recommend 40?mL?L^?1 of humic substances and soil mulching.     

Microbial biomass phosphorus and its significance in predicting phosphorus availability in red soils

Abstract

Red soils are widespread in Southern China and other subtropical regions in the world. An improved management of phosphorus (P) is crucial for sustainable agriculture and environmental quality in red soil regions. Plant‐availability of P in red soils mainly depends on fertilization and biological cycling. Both laboratory analyses and greenhouse experiments were conducted to examine the relationships between plant P uptake, chemical index of P, and microbial biomass P in red soils with different fertility levels. Microbial biomass P ranged from 2.1 to 43 mg kg^‐1 in the red soils and was significantly correlated with total P (r=0.84*), organic P (r=0.87*), or Bray I extractable P (r=0.94**). Extractable P plus organic carbon accounted for >85% of the variation in microbial biomass P in the red soils. The significant relationship between microbial biomass P and extractable P suggests that microbial biomass P has a great potential in predicting P‐supply ability in soil. Greenhouse experiments showed that there were close relationships between ryegrass dry matter yield, plant P uptake or tissue P concentration and microbial biomass P in the red soils. The corresponding correlation coefficients were 0.79*, 0.90*, and 0.91*, respectively. These results imply that microbial biomass P plays an important role in the availability of P to plants, and is a potential biological index of P availability in the red soils.     

Comparative study on soil biological parameters at a long-term field experiment

Abstract

The presented results originate from a long-term field experiment with organic and mineral fertilization established in 1963. The relation between soil biological parameters (microbial biomass, dehydrogenase-, phosphatase- and invertase- enzyme activities, metabolic diversity) and crop yield were investigated. It has been found that the different fertilizer treatments influenced both soil biological parameters and crop yield significantly. There was no linear correlation between the quantity of fertilizer active agent and the soil biological parameters. In the cultivated soils fertilization (irrespective of type) increased metabolic diversity, but it was less than the diversity in the soil of a pasture. The main statistical characteristics of investigated soil biological parameters and the relative importance of the factors that are influencing the variance of parameters were determined as well.     

Vermicompost improves microbial functions of soil with continuous tomato cropping in a greenhouse

Purpose

At present, the improvement of soil microbial function by the application of vermicompost in long-term monoculture system is rarely reported. We took advantage of a greenhouse pot experiment that examined the effects of vermicompost on soil microbial properties, enzyme activities, and tomato yield.

Materials and methods

Three soils subjected to 0, 5, and 20 years of continuous tomato cropping in a greenhouse were collected for a pot experiment. Treatments include chemical fertilizer (CF), vermicompost (VM), and poultry manure compost (PM). No fertilization was established as a control (CK). Biolog Eco microplates were used to measure soil microbial function.

Results and discussion

The results showed that compared to the CF and PM treatments, the VM treatment increased the abundances of bacteria (Bac, average 41% and 103%, respectively) and actinomycetes (Act, average 8.59% and 16.36%, respectively), while decreased the abundance of fungi (Fun, average 39% and 29%, respectively), and had the highest ratio of bacteria to fungi. Soil microbial activity, which was represented as the average well color development (AWCD), and microbial functional diversity were higher in the VM treatment than in the CF and PM treatments. The VM treatment led to greater improvement in soil health than the PM treatment, which expressed as the higher utilization of carboxylic acids and phenolic compounds in each type of soil. Catalase (Cat) and polyphenoloxidase (Ppo) activities in the VM treatment were significantly higher than those in the CF and PM treatments. We also found that the soil Cat activity, pH, available P, acid phosphatase (Pac) activity, and Ppo activity were important contributors to variation in the microbial population. Moreover, compared to CK, fruit yield in the VM treatment increased by 74%, 43%, and 28% in soils subjected to 0, 5, and 20 years of planting, respectively.

Conclusions

Our findings indicated that vermicompost can replace poultry manure compost to improve soil quality in greenhouse due to the ability of vermicompost to improve soil microbial functions.

     

How different long‐term fertilization strategies influence crop yield and soil properties in a maize field in the North China Plain

The impact of fertilization on maize (Zea mays L.) yield and soil properties was investigated in a long‐term (> 18 y) experimental field in N China. A completely randomized block design with seven fertilizer treatments and four replications was used. The seven fertilizer treatments were (1) compost (COMP), (2) half compost plus half chemical fertilizer (COMP1/2), (3) balanced NPK fertilizer (NPK), (4–6) unbalanced chemical fertilizers without one of the major elements (NP, PK, and NK), and (7) an unamended control (CK). In addition to maize yield, soil chemical and biological properties were investigated. Compared to the balanced NPK treatment, maize yield from the COMP treatment was 7.9% higher, from the COMP1/2 was similar, but from the NP, PK, NK, and CK treatment were 12.4%, 59.9%, 78.6%, and 75.7% lower. Across the growing season, microbial biomass C and N contents, basal soil respiration, and fluorescein diacetate hydrolysis, dehydrogenase, urease, and invertase activities in the COMP and COMP1/2 treatments were 7%–203% higher than the NPK treatment. Values from all other treatments were up to 60% lower than the NPK treatment. Maize yield is closely related to the soil organic C (OC) and biological properties, and the OC is closely related to various biological properties, indicating that OC is a suitable indicator for soil quality. Our results suggest the most limiting nutrient for improving the yield or soil quality was P, followed by N and K, and balanced fertilization is important in maintaining high crop yield and soil quality. Additionally, increases in OC, N, and biological activities in COMP and COMP1/2 treatments imply that organic compost is superior to the chemical fertilizers tested.     

Degradation and humification of maize straw in soil microcosms inoculated with simple and complex microbial communities

Microbial communities are responsible for soil organic matter cycling and thus for maintaining soil fertility. A typical Orthic Luvisol was freed from organic carbon by thermal destruction at 600°C. Then the degradation and humification of ¹⁴C‐labelled maize straw by defined microbial communities was analysed. To study the role of microbial diversity on the humification of plant material, microcosms containing sterilized soil were inoculated with a natural microbial community or with microbial consortia consisting of bacterial and fungal soil isolates. Within 6 weeks, 41 ± 4% of applied ¹⁴C‐labelled maize straw was mineralized in the soil microcosms containing complex communities derived from a soil suspension, whilst the most efficient communities composed of soil isolates mineralized less than 35%. The humification products were analysed by solution state ¹³C‐NMR‐spectroscopy and gel permeation chromatography (GPC). The analyses of humic acids extracts by solution state ¹³C‐NMR‐spectroscopy revealed no difference in the development of typical chemical functional groups for humic substances during incubation. However, the increase in specific molecular size fractions of the extracted humic acids occurred only after inoculation with complex communities, but not with defined isolates. While it seems to be true that redundancy in soil microbial communities contributes to the resilience of soils, specific soil functions may no longer be performed if a microbial community is harshly affected in its diversity or growth conditions.     

Changes induced by plastic film mulches on soil temperature and their relevance in growth and fruit yield of pickling cucumber

Purpose: The aim of this study was to realize whether soil mulching, with different plastic mulch colors, is a suitable practice for the culture of pickling cucumber.

Materials and Methods: The crop was cultured or not with black, silver/black, white/black, and aluminum/black plastic films, treatments were evaluated in randomized complete block design, to determine their effect on soil temperature, gas exchange, nutrient concentration, growth, and fruit yield.

Results and Conclusions: Black, silver/black, and aluminum/black plastic mulches were higher (p?≤?0.05) in plant height, leaf area, and shoot dry weight than bare soil at 15 days after sowing, whose results were similar than using white/black film. Maximum, minimum, and mean soil temperatures were higher with all plastic mulches except for aluminum/black, in which the maximum soil temperature was similar to the one in bare soil. There was no difference in net photosynthesis and there was very little difference in nutrient concentration between plants in plastic mulches and plants in bare soil; however, early and total yield showed a higher (p?≤?0.05) yield in all plastic mulches, and lower with bare soil and white/black plastic mulch. Our results confirm that soil mulching impacts the pickling cucumber yield. We suggest a carefull selection of the color plastic mulch.     

Optimum Soil Acidity Indices for Dry Bean Production on an Oxisol in No‐Tillage System

Abstract

Soil acidity is one of the major yield constraints to crop production in various parts of the world. Quantifying optimum soil acidity indices is an important strategy for achieving maximum economic crop yields on acid soils. Five field experiments were conducted for three consecutive years using dry bean as a test crop on an Oxisol. The lime rates used were 0, 12, and 24 Mg ha^?1 for creating a wide range of soil acidity indices in a no‐tillage cropping system. Grain yield of dry bean was significantly increased by improving soil pH, base saturation, calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), and potassium (K) saturation and reducing aluminum (Al) saturation. These soil acidity indices were higher in the 0‐ to 10‐cm soil layer than the 10‐ to 20‐cm soil layer for maximum grain yield. Across two soil depths, optimum values for maximum bean yield were pH 6.5, base saturation 67%, Ca saturation 48%, and Mg saturation 19%. Bean yield linearly increased with increasing K saturation in the range of 1.5 to 3% across two soil depths. There was a significant linear decrease in grain yield with increasing Al saturation in the range of 0 to 8% across two soil depths. Optimal values of soil indices for maximum bean yield can be used as a reference for liming and improving yield of bean crop on Oxisols in a no‐tillage cropping system. Yield components, such as pod number, grain per pod, and 100‐grain weight were significantly improved with liming, and bean yield was significantly associated with these yield components.     

Partial replacement of Fe(o,o‐EDDHA) by humic substances for Fe nutrition and fruit quality of citrus

The most widely used Iron (Fe) fertilizer in calcareous soils is the synthetic chelate Fe(o,o‐EDDHA). However, humic substances are occasionally combined with Fe chelates in drip irrigation systems in order to lower costs. We investigated the effect of various mixtures of Fe(o,o‐EDDHA) and a commercially available humic substance on Fe availability in a calcareous soil from Murcia, Spain (in vitro experiment) and on leaf Fe content and fruit‐quality attributes of Citrus macrophylla (field experiment). In the in vitro experiment, a calcareous soil was incubated for 15 d with solutions of sole Fe(o,o‐EDDHA) and humic substance and of a mixture of humic substance and Fe(o,o‐EDDHA) to determine the dynamics of available Fe. While the mixture did not significantly increase the available soil Fe, it did decrease the rate of Fe retention in the surface soil compared to sole Fe(o,o‐EDDHA). In the field experiment, the substitution in the application solution of 67% of Fe(o,o‐EDDHA) by commercial humic substance increased leaf P in lemon trees from 0.19% with sole Fe(o,o‐EDDHA) to 0.30% and leaf Fe from 94 mg kg^–1 to 115 mg kg^–1. Some quality parameters like vitamin C content and peel thickness were also improved with a partial substitution of Fe(o,o‐EDDHA) by humic substances. We conclude that a partial substitution of commercial Fe chelates by humic substance can improve crop Fe uptake and may thus be economically attractive. The underlying physiological mechanisms and ecological implications require further studies.     

Boron fertilization improves seed yield and harvest index of Camelina sativa L. by affecting source-sink

The impact of soil (1, 2 kg ha^?1) and foliar (100, 200 mg L^?1) boron (B) with control (no B) was evaluated on phenology and yield formation of Camelina each applied at stem elongation and flowering stages. Foliar (200 mg L^?1) or soil B (2 kg ha^?1) resulted in earlier flowering and maturity, increased fruit bearing branches (19.68%), number of siliqua, seeds per siliqua (4.6%), biological yield (15%), seed yield (24%), harvest index (11.4%) and oil contents (23%) than no B. Increased fruit bearing branches, seed filled siliqua or seed numbers, harvest index and oil quality can be attributed to changes in dry matter accumulated of stem with simultaneous increase in siliqua dry weight with foliar or soil applied B. In crux, foliar (200 mg L^?1) or soil applied (2 kg ha^?1) B seems promising to improve seed and oil yield, harvest index of Camelina sativa under B deficient condition.     

The impact of a low humus level in arable soils on microbial properties, soil organic matter quality and crop yield

 In arable soils in Schleswig-Holstein (Northwest Germany) nearly 30% of the total organic C (TOC) stored in former times in the soil has been mineralized in the last 20 years. Microbial biomass, enzyme activities and the soil organic matter (SOM) composition were investigated in order to elucidate if a low TOC level affects microbial parameters, SOM quality and crop yield. Microbial biomass C (C_mic) and enzyme activities decreased in soils with a low TOC level compared to soils with a typical TOC level. The decrease in the C_mic/TOC ratio suggested low-level, steady-state microbial activity. The SOM quality changed with respect to an enrichment of initial litter compounds in the top soil layers with a low TOC level. Recent management of the soils had not maintained a desirable level of humic compounds. However, we found no significant decrease in crop yield. We suggest that microbial biomass and dehydrogenase and alkaline phosphatase activities are not necessarily indicators of soil fertility in soils with a high fertilization level without forage production and manure application. Received: 12 December 1997     

Prospects of using leguminous green manuring crop Sesbania rostrata for supplementing fertilizer nitrogen in rice production and control of environmental pollution

Abstract

Modern rice cultivation relies on chemical nitrogen (N) fertilizer that ultimately degrades soil health and creates environmental pollution. The increasing concerns about environmental pollution, restoring soil health, and conservation of energy, public attention is now towards green manures as supplement for N fertilizer. Sesbania rostrata is a popular leguminous green manuring crop that fixes atmospheric N₂, improves soil health, and rice productivity through incorporation of its biomass in to soil. About 40–60?days plants provide 5–6 tons dry biomass that can supplement 50–100% N requirement. In world, it is adapted as pre-rice or post-rice green manuring crop. Long-term use of S. rostrata improves soil health and increased rice yield by 9–11% over chemical fertilizer. Use of S. rostrata in large scale for rice production can reduce environmental pollution problems as it can cut down chemical N requirement and thus reduction dispersal of Nr to the environment.