Impact of Cropping Systems on Soil Properties in Bhadaiya Block, Sultanpur

This study investigated how major cropping systems (Rice-Wheat/RWCS, Legume-Based/LBCS, Vegetable-Based/VBCS, Horticulture-Based/HBCS, Salt-Affected/SAS, Pasture/Forest/P/FS) influenced soil physicochemical properties at 0–15 cm depth in Bhadaiya Block, Sultanpur, within India's Indo-Gangetic Plains. The findings revealed severe soil degradation in Salt-Affected Soils (SAS), characterized by the highest bulk density (1.39 Mg m⁻³), pH (8.55), electrical conductivity (1.09 dS m⁻¹), and significantly lower organic carbon (2.97 g kg⁻¹) and available nitrogen (186.64 kg ha⁻¹), phosphorus (12.85 kg ha⁻¹), and potassium (259.25 kg ha⁻¹). Conversely, the Pasture/Forest System (P/FS) demonstrated optimal soil health, exhibiting the lowest bulk density (1.30 Mg m⁻³), highest organic carbon (6.27 g kg⁻¹), and abundant available nutrients (N: 229.28, P: 22.71, K: 280.04 kg ha⁻¹). The study highlights that systems incorporating perennial cover or minimal soil disturbance, such as P/FS and LBCS, actively improve soil fertility and structure, emphasizing the critical need for sustainable land management practices to mitigate degradation in intensively farmed areas.