Abstract:
Macro and microorganisms play a crucial role in improving soil health. Soil
organisms decompose complex organic substances and release nutrients.
Further, they involve in nutrient cycling and transformation process in the soil.
Population dynamics of soil organisms depend on many external factors
including human activities, climate change, contaminations and soil erosion.
Hence, adverse conditions may create a tremendous pressure on soil biota
leading to large-scale land degradation and loss of productivity in the long run.
The positive effect of soil organic matter (SOM) on soil health is well
documented. Soil organic matter serves as a source of nutrients for plant growth,
enhances soil aggregation, retains soil moisture, increases infiltration and
reduces the risk of soil erosion. Depletion of SOM pool specially in farmlands is a
global issue. Therefore, it is essential to manage SOM pool above the threshold
level (1.0 -1.5%) in order to reverse the process of soil degradation. In addition,
quality and quantity of SOM pool is one of the crucial factors in order to
strengthening resilience and reduce risk of soil degradation. It has been reported
that, depletion of Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) pool is grater when essential
nutrients are limited in the soil for microbial growth. Thus, application of organic
manure with alternative nutrient sources could be a better option to increase
SOC pool and soil health.
