Abstract
Soil health and sustainability of rice-wheat cropping system (RWCS) in the Indo-Gangetic plains (IGP) in South Asia are possibly adversely influenced due to in-situ burning of large quantities of rice residues. Instead of burning, it is increasingly being advocated to incorporate the crop residues into the soil. In a field experiment, effects of four nitrogen (N) levels (0, 90, 120 and 150 kg N ha− 1) as main-plots and four levels of rice straw (RS) incorporation (to a depth of 0.10–0.15 m) (0, 5, 7.5 and 10 t ha− 1) as sub-plots in split plot design were studied on soil enzymatic activities at two stages i.e. maximum tillering (MT) and flowering (FL) of wheat, and crop yield after 7 years. Activities of dehydrogenase, fluorescein diacetate, alkaline phosphatase, acid phosphatase, phytase, urease, l-asparaginase, cellulase, xylanase, β-glucosidase, peroxidase and phenol oxidase enzymes and grain yield of wheat in the treatment receiving 120 kg N ha− 1 and 10 t ha− 1 RS incorporation were significantly higher than in the control (without N and RS incorporation). The enzyme activities except peroxidase and phenol oxidase were dominated in rhizosphere than in the bulk soil, and at MT rather than at FL stage. Principal component analysis revealed that l-asparaginase, and phenol oxidase activities can be used as the most sensitive and reliable indicators for assessing soil quality under RWCS when rice residues are incorporated into the soil.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Adam G, Duncan H (2001) Development of a sensitive and rapid method for the measurement of total microbial activity using fluorescein diacetate (FDA) in a range of soils. Soil Biol Biochem 33:943–951
Aira M, Maria GB, Cristina L, Erland B (2010) Plant genotype strongly modifies the structure and growth of maize rhizosphere microbial communities. Soil Biol Biochem 42:2276–2281
Bastida F, Kandeler E, Hernández T, García C (2007) Long-term effect of municipal solid waste amendment on microbial abundance and humus-associated enzyme activities under semiarid conditions. Microbial Ecol 55:651–661
Bera T, Sharma S, Thind HS, Yadvinder S, Sidhu HS, Jat ML (2017) Soil biochemical changes at different wheat growth stages in response to conservation agriculture practices in a rice-wheat system of north-western India. Soil Res 56:91–104
Bera T, Sharma S, Thind HS, Yadvinder S, Sidhu HS, Jat ML (2018) Changes in soil biochemical indicators at different wheat growth stages under conservation based sustainable intensification agriculture practices of rice-wheat system. J Integr Agric 17:1871–1880
Bhavani S, Chandra SK, Jayasree G, Padmaja B (2017) Effects of long term application of inorganic and organic fertilizers on soil biological properties of rice. J Pharma Phytochem 6:1107–1110
Blagodatskaya E, Kuzyakov Y (2008) Mechanisms of real and apparent priming effects and their dependence on soil microbial biomass and community structure: critical review. Biol Fert Soils 45:115–131
Bowen GD, Rovira AD (1999) The rhizosphere and its management to improve plant growth. Adv Agron 66:1–12
Buee M, De-Boer W, Martin F, van Overbeek L, Jurkevitch E (2009) The rhizosphere zoo: an overview of plant-associated communities of microorganisms including phages bacteria archaea and fungi and of some of their structuring factors. Plant Soil 321:189–212
Burns RG (1986) Interaction of enzymes with soil mineral and organic colloids In: Huang PM, Schnitzer M (Ed ) Interactions of soil minerals with natural organics and microbes. Soil Science Society of America, Madison, pp 429–452
Chaudhary DR, Gautam RK, Yousuf B, Mishra A, Jha B (2015) Nutrients microbial community structure and functional gene abundance of rhizosphere and bulk soils of halophytes. Appl Soil Ecol 91:16–26
Chu B, Zaid F, Eivazi F (2016) Long-term effects of different cropping systems on selected enzyme activities. Commun Soil Sci Plant Anal 47:720–730
Cladwell BA (2005) Enzyme activities as a component of soil biodiversity. A review Pedobiologia 49:637–644
DeForest JL, Zak DR, Pregitzer KS, Burton AJ (2004) Anthropogenic NO3 deposition alters microbial community function in northern hardwood forests. Soil Sci Soc Am J 68:132–138
Dong WY, Zhang XY, Liu XY, Fu XL, Chen FS, Wang HM, Sun XM, Wen XF (2015) Responses of soil microbial communities and enzyme activities to nitrogen and phosphorus additions in Chinese fir plantations of subtropical China. Biogeosci 12:5537–5546
Douglas LA, Bremner JM (1970) Extraction and colorimetric determination of urea in soils. Soil Sci Soc Am J 34:859–862
Eivazi F, Tabatabai MA (1988) Glucosidases and galactosidases in soils. Soil Biol Biochem 20:601–606
Fang S, Liu D, Tian Y, Deng S, Shang X (2013) Tree species composition influences enzyme activities and microbial biomass in the rhizosphere: A rhizobox approach. PLOS One 8:61461
Finzi AC, Sinsabaugh RL, Long TM, Osgood MP (2006) Microbial community responses to atmospheric CO2 enrichment in a Pinus taeda forest. Ecosystems 9:215–226
Frankenberger WT, Dick WA (1983) Relationships between enzyme activities and microbial growth and activity indices in soil. Soil Sci Soc Am J 47:945–951
Frankenberger WT, Tabatabai MA (1991) Factors affecting l-asparaginase activity in soils. Biol Fert Soils 11:1–5
Freeman C, Ostle N, Kang H (2001) Anenzymic ‘latch’ on a global carbon store. Nature 409:149
Gallo ME, Amonette R, Lauber C, Sinsabaugh RL, Zak DR (2004) Short-term changes in oxidative enzyme activity and microbial community structure in nitrogen-amended north temperate forest soils. Microbial Ecol 47:218–229
Goyal S, Chander K, Mundra MC, Kapoor KK (1999) Influence of inorganic fertilizers and organic amendments on soil organic matter and soil microbial properties under tropical conditions. Biol Fert Soils 29:196–200
Gupta RK, Seth A (2007) A review of resource conserving technologies for sustainable management of the rice wheat systems of the Indo-Gangetic Plains. J Crop prot 26:436–447
Hasebe A, Kanazawa S, Takai Y (1984) Microbial biomass in paddy soil: I Microbial biomass calculated from direct count using fluorescence microscope. J Soil Sci Plant Nutr 30:175–187
International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) (2016) IRRISTAT for window (CD-ROM) version 402b IRRI Los Banos
Jat RK, Sapkota TB, Singh RG, Jat ML, Kumar M, Gupta RK (2014) Seven years of conservation agriculture in a rice–wheat rotation of Eastern Gangetic Plains of South Asia: yield trends and economic profitability. Field Crops Res 164:199–210
Kanazawa S, Asakawa S, Takai Y (1988) Effect of fertilizer and manure application on microbial numbers biomass and enzyme activities in volcanic ash soils. J Soil Sci Plant Nut 34:429–439
Kanazawa S, Kiyota H (2000) Effect of fertilizer and manure application on l-glutaminase and l-asparaginase activities in soils. J Soil Sci Plant Nutr 46:741–744
Kanchikerimath M, Singh D (2001) Soil organic matter and biological properties after 26 years of maize– wheat– cowpea cropping as affected by manure and fertilization in a Cambisol in semiarid region of India. Agri Ecosyst Environ 86:155–162
Kang H, Freeman C (2007) Interactions of marsh orchid (Dactylorhizasp) and soil microorganisms in relation to extracellular enzyme activities in a peat soil. Pedosphere 17:681–687
Kant PCB, Bhadraray S, Purakayastha TJ, Jain V, Pal M, Datta SC (2007) Active carbon-pools in rhizosphere of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) grown under elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration in a Typic Haplustept in subtropical India. Environ Pollut 147:273–281
Kaur T, Brar BS (2008) Organic matter microbial biomass and enzyme activity of soils under maize-wheat cropping system. J Soils Crops 18:24–30
Keeler BL, Hobbie SE, Kellogg LE (2009) Effects of long-term nitrogen addition on microbial enzyme activity in eight forested and grassland sites: implications for litter and soil organic matter decomposition. Ecosystems 12:1–15
Khorsandi N, Nourbakhsh F (2007) Effect of amendment of manure and corn residues on soil N mineralization and enzyme activity. Agron Sustain Dev 27:139–143
Knudsen D, Peterson GA, Pratt PF (1982) Lithium sodium and potassium. In: Page AL, Miller RH, Keeney DR (eds) Ed Methods of Soil Analysis Part 2 Chemical and Microbiological Properties. American Society of Agronomy Soil Science Society of America, Madison, pp 225–246
Kumari K, Prasad J, Solanki IS, Chaudhary R (2018) Long-term effect of crop residues incorporation on yield and soil physical properties under rice-wheat cropping system in calcareous soil. J Soil Sci Plant Nutr 18:27–40
Kumawat C, Sharma VK, Meena MC, Kumar S, Barman M, Chobhe KA, Yadav RK (2017) Fluorescein diacetate activity as affected by residue retention and P fertilization in maize under maize-wheat cropping system. Int J Micrbiol Appl Sci 6:2571–2577
Li M, Osaki M, Rao IM, Tadano T (1997) Secretion of phytase from the roots of several plant species under phosphorus-deficient conditions. Plant Soil 195:161–169
Li YT, Rouland C, Benedetti M, Li F, Pando A, Lavelle P, Dai J (2009) Microbial biomass enzyme and mineralization activity in relation to soil organic C N and P turnover influenced by acid metal stress. Soil Biol Biochem 41:969–977
Liang Q, Gao RT, Xi BD, Zhang Y, Zhang H (2014) Long-term effects of irrigation using water from the river receiving treated industrial wastewater on soil organic carbon fractions and enzyme activities. Agri Water Manage 135:100–108
Liu L, Gundersen P, Zhang T, Mo JM (2012) Effects of phosphorus addition on soil microbial biomass and community composition in three forest types in tropical China. Soil Biol Biochem 44:31–38
Liu C, Lu M, Cui J, Li B, Fang C (2014) Effects of straw carbon input on carbon dynamics in agricultural soils: a meta-analysis. Global Change Biol 20:1366–1381
Lugtenberg BJJ, Bloemberg GV (2004) Life in the rhizosphere. In: Ramos JL (Ed) Pseudomonas, vol 1. Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers, New York, 403–430
Mahmood T, Ali R, Hussain F, Tahir GR (2005) Seasonal changes in soil microbial biomass carbon under a wheat-maize cropping system receiving urea and farmyard manure in different combinations. Pak J Bot 37:105–117
Mandal A, Patra AK, Singh D, Swarup A, Ebhin MR (2007) Effect of long-term application of manure and fertilizer on biological and biochemical activities in soil during crop development stages. Bioresour Tech 98:3585–3592
Mathew RP, Feng Y, Githinji L, Ramble A, Kipling S (2012) Impact of no-tillage and conventional tillage systems on soil microbial communities. Appl Environ Soil Sci 2012:Article ID 548620. https://doi.org/10.1155/2012/5486202012
Michel K, Matzner E (2003) Response of enzyme activities to nitrogen addition in forest floors of different C-to-N ratios. Biol Fert Soils 38:102–109
Mobley HL, Hausinger RP (1989) Microbial ureases: significance regulation and molecular characterization. Microbiol Rev 53:85–108
NAAS (2017) Innovative viable solution to rice residue burning in rice-wheat cropping system through concurrent use of super straw management system-fitted combines and Turbo Happy Seeder Policy Brief No 2 National Academy of agricultural Sciences New Delhi 1–16
Nannipieri P, Ascher J, Ceccherini MT, Landi L, Pietramellara G, Renella G, Valori F (2007) Microbial diversity and microbial activity in the rhizosphere. Ciencia Suelo (Argentia) 25:89–97
Nelson DW, Sommers LE (1996) Total carbon organic carbon and organic matter: laboratory methods In: Barteles JM, Bigham JM (Ed) Methods of Soil Analysis Part 3 Chemical Methods. American Society of Agronomy and Soil Science Society of America, Madison, pp 961–1010
Olsen SR, Cole CV, Watanabe FS, Dean AL (1954) Estimation of available phosphorus in soils by extraction on with Sodium bicarbonate. USDA Cir 939:19
Pancholy SK, Rice EL (1973) Soil enzymes in relation to old field succession: amylase cellulose invertase dehydrogenase and urease. Soil Sci Soc Am J 37:47–50
Rabinovich ML, Bolobova AV, Vasil’chenko LG (2004) Fungal decomposition of natural aromatic structures and xenobiotics: a review. Appl Biochem Microbiol 40:1–17
Rakshit R, Patra AK, Purakayastha TJ, Singh RD, Dhar S, Pathak H, Das A (2016) Effect of super-optimal levels of fertilizers on soil enzymatic activities during growth stages of wheat crop on an Inceptisol. J Appl Nat Sci 8:1398–1403
Ram H, Dadhwal V, Vashist KK, Kaur H (2013) Grain yield and water use efficiency of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in relation to irrigation levels and rice residue mulching in North West India. Agri Water Manage 128:92–101
Rezacova V, Baldrian P, Hrselova H, Larsen J, Gryndler M (2007) Influence of mineral and organic fertilization on soil fungi enzyme activities and humic substances in a long-term field experiment Folia. Microbiologica 52:415–421
Roldan A, Caravaca F, Hernandez MT, Garcia C, Sánchez-Brito C, Velasquez MTiscareno M (2003) No-tillage crop residue additions and legume cover cropping effects on soil quality characteristics under maize in Patzcuaro watershed (Mexico). Soil Till Res 72:65–73
Saha S, Prakash V, Kundu S, Kumar N, Lal MB (2008) Soil enzymatic activity as affected by long term application of farm yard manure and mineral fertilizer under rainfed soybean-wheat system in N-W Himalaya European. J Soil Biol 44:309–315
Saikia R, Sharma S, Thind. HS, Sidhu HS, Yadvinder-Singh (2019) Temporal changes in biochemical indicators of soil quality in response to tillage, crop residue and green manure management in a rice-wheat system. Ecol Ind 103:383–394
Saikia R, Sharma S, Thind HS, Yadvinder-Singh (2020) Tillage and residue management practices affect soil biological indicators in a rice–wheat cropping system in north-western India. Soil Use Manage 36(1):157–172. https://doi.org/10.1111/sum.12544
Sanaullah M, Bahar S, Razavi EB, Yakov K (2016) Spatial distribution and catalytic mechanisms of β-glucosidase activity at the root-soil interface. Biol Fert Soils 52:505–514
Schinner F, Von Mersi W (1990) Xylanase-CM-cellulase and invertase activity in soil: an improved method. Soil Biol Biochem 22:511–515
Sharma P, Singh G, Singh RP (2013) Conservation tillage and optimal water supply enhance microbial enzyme (glucosidase urease and phosphatase) activities in fields under wheat cultivation during various nitrogen management practices. Arch Agron Soil Sci 59:911–928
Shi W, Dell E, Bowman D, Iyyemperumal (2006) Soil enzyme activities and organic matter composition in a turfgrass chronosequence. Plant Soil 288:285–296
Stemmer M, Gerzabek MH, Kandeler E (1998) Organic matter and enzyme activity in particle-size fractions of soils obtained after low-energy sonication. Soil Biol Biochem 30:9–17
Tabatabai MA, Bremner JM (1969) Use of p-nitrophenyl phosphate for assay of soil phosphatase activity. Soil Biol Biochem 1:301–307
Tabatabai MA (1982) Soil enzymes. In: Page A, Miller RH, Keeney DR (eds) Methods of soil analysis Part 2 Agronomy 9. American Society of Agronomy Soil Science Society of America, Madison, pp 903–947
Tao J, Griffiths B, Zhang S, Chen X, Liu M, Hu F, Li H (2009) Effects of earthworms on soil enzyme activity in an organic residue amended rice–wheat rotation agro-ecosystem. Appl Soil Ecol 42:221–226
Tarafdar JC, Marschner H (1994) Phosphatase activity in the rhizosphere and hyposphere of VA mycorrhizal wheat supplied with inorganic and organic phosphorus. Soil Biol Biochem 26:387–395
Tejada M, Gomez I, Garcia-Martinez AM, Osta P, Parrado J (2011) Effects of Prochloraz fungicide on soil enzymatic activities and bacterial communities. Ecotox Environ Safe 74:1708–1714
Walkley, Black IA (1934) An examination of Degtjareff method for determining soil organic matter and a proposed modification of the chromic acid titration method. Soil Sci 37:29–37
Wang GH, Dobermann A, Witt C, Sun QZ, Fu RX (2001) Performance of site-specific nutrient management for irrigated rice in southeast China. Agron J 93:869–878
Westerman RL (1990) Soil Testing and Plant Analysis, 3rd Ed. American Society of Agronomy Soil Science Society of America: Madison, p 20
Wickings K, Grandy AS, Reed SC, Cleveland CC (2011) The origin of litter chemical complexity during decomposition. Ecol Lett 215:1180–1188
Witt C, Cassman KG, Olk DC (2000) Crop rotation and residue management effects on carbon sequestration nitrogen cycling and productivity of irrigated rice systems. Plant Soil 225:263–278
Wold S, Esbensen K, Geladi P (1987) Principal component analysis. Chemom Intell Lab Syst 2:37–52
Yadav BK, Tarafdar JC (2004) Phytase activity in the rhizosphere of crops trees and grasses under arid environment. J Arid Environ 58:285–293
Yadvinder Singh, Thind HS, Sidhu HS (2014) Management options for rice residues for sustainable productivity of rice-wheat cropping system. Agri Res J 51:209–220
Yadvinder-Singh, Sidhu HS (2014) Management of cereal crop residues for sustainable rice-wheat production system in the Indo-Gangetic plains of India. PINSA 80:95–114
Yang Y, Dong M, Cao Y, Wang J, Tang M, Ban Y (2017) Comparisons of soil properties enzyme activities and microbial communities in heavy metal contaminated bulk and rhizosphere soils of Robinia pseudoacacia L in the northern foot of Qinling. Mountain Forests 8:430
Yang Q, Wang X, Shen Y (2013) Comparison of soil microbial community catabolic diversity between rhizosphere and bulk soil induced by tillage or residue retention. J Soil Sci Plant Nutr 13:187–199
Zhang X, Dong W, Dai X, Schaeffer S, Yang F, Radosevich M, Xu L, Liu X, Sun X (2015) Responses of absolute and specific soil enzyme activities to long term additions of organic and mineral fertilizer. Sci Total Environ 536:59–67
Zhu L, Hu N, Zhang Z, Xu J, Tao B, Meng Y (2015) Short-term responses of soil organic carbon and carbon pool management index to different annual straw return rates in a rice–wheat cropping system. Catena 135:283–289
Acknowledgements
We thank the Head, Department of Soil Science, Punjab Agricultural University for providing necessary laboratory and field facilities.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of interest
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.
Electronic supplementary material
Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Singh, S., Sharma, S. Temporal changes in rhizosphere biological soil quality indicators of wheat in response to nitrogen and straw incorporation. Trop Ecol 61, 328–344 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42965-020-00092-8
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42965-020-00092-8