Potassium fertilization is often ignored by assuming alluvial soils have sufficient K reserves in the North West Plain Zone of India under cereal-based cropping systems. There is scanty information on the impact of integrated K fertilization on soil enzymes, nutrients availability, microbial population, and wheat yield cultivated in the corn–wheat cropping system. The current study exhibits that treatment (T₇) applied with a dose of 90 kg K ha⁻¹[30 kg K by farmyard manure (FYM) and 60 kg K by muriate of potash (MOP)] significantly enhances the various microbial populations from 48.00 to 123.10% and 39.00 to 124.00%, soil enzymatic activities from 70.31 to 180.00% and 102.42 to 175.68%, and available nutrients from 2.43 to 8.44% and 14.79 to 22.87% for the first and second years of wheat cultivation, respectively. It also improved various yield parameters (12.39–41.71% and 18.24–41.14%) during both the consecutive years of cultivation. Statistical analyses revealed that the treatments (T₄, T_5,and T₇) applied with integrated fertilization of wheat cultivation through FYM and MOP were more promising for improving soil enzymatic activities (11.59–57.22%), microbial populations (5.14–15.70%), available nutrients in soil (7.60–16.54%), and crop yield (1.06–5.85%) during the second year of cultivation as compared to the first year of cultivation. This study might be helpful to reclaim soil health and reduce chemical fertilizers used in agricultural lands.

Inappropriate agricultural practices consume more input energy and emit higher greenhouse gases (GHGs) which cause global warming and climate change, thereby threatening environmental sustainability. To identify energy and carbon-efficient varieties and nutrient management practices, the present study was undertaken during the kharif season of 2018 and 2019 in a split-plot design with three varieties of fodder maize (African Tall, J-1006 and P-3396) and four nutrient management practices such as N0: Absolute control, N1: 100% recommended dose of fertilizers (RDF), N2: 75% RDF + plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) + Panchagavya spray and N3: 50% RDF + 25% farmyard manure (FYM) + PGPR + Panchagavya spray). Results indicated that variety J-1006 and applying 75% RDF + PGPR + Panchagavya spray produced significantly higher dry fodder yield. Among the varieties, J-1006 recorded the highest total energy output (224,123 MJ ha⁻¹), net energy (211,280 MJ ha⁻¹), energy use efficiency (17.64), energy productivity (0.98 kg MJ⁻¹), energy profitability (16.64), and lowest specific energy (1.03 MJ ha⁻¹). Regarding nutrient management, 75% RDF + PGPR + Panchagavya spray fetched the highest total energy output (229,470 MJ ha⁻¹) and net energy (215,482 MJ ha⁻¹). However, energy use efficiency, energy productivity, and energy profitability were significantly higher with integrated nutrient management (N2 and N3) over 100% RDF. Concerning the carbon estimation, J-1006 resulted in a significantly higher carbon output (5479 kg CE ha⁻¹), net carbon gain (5029 kg CE ha⁻¹), carbon efficiency (12.46), carbon sustainability index (11.46), and significantly lower carbon footprint per unit yield (CFy) (131.3 kg CO₂-e Mg⁻¹). For nutrient management, the application of 75% RDF + PGPR + Panchagavya spray showed significantly higher carbon output (5609 kg CE ha⁻¹) and net carbon gain (5112 kg CE ha⁻¹). However, significantly higher carbon efficiency, carbon sustainability index, and lower CFy were reported with integrated nutrient management over 100% RDF. Overall, selecting the J-1006 variety and applying 75% RDF + PGPR + Panchagavya spray for fodder maize cultivation could be the most productive in terms of dry fodder production, energy, and carbon efficiency approach.

The implementation of integrated potassium management presents a viable approach for augmenting plant growth, yield, and nutrient uptake while enhancing soil nutrient availability. A field experiment was executed during the rabi season of 2020, employing a randomized complete block design encompassing eight treatments involving standard (100%) and reduced (75% and 50%) rates of the recommended dose of potassium (RDK) administered through muriate of potash (MOP). Treatments included variations in the incorporation/exclusion of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), farmyard manure (FYM) at 25% of potassium recommendation, and foliar application of nano potash. The use of 100% RDK +25% K augmentation through FYM + PGPR and nano K fertilizer spray at 25 and 40 DAS (T₈) exhibited significant enhancements in green fodder yield (64.0 ± 2.2 t ha⁻¹) over control with no potassium application (47.3 ± 3.7 t ha⁻¹) and found at par with and 75% RDK + 25% K augmentation through FYM + PGPR and nano K fertilizer spray at 25 and 40 DAS (T₇). These treatments yielded maximum percent increase for plant height (34.9%), leaf count (38.5%), leaf dimensions (28.8–31.5%), stem girth (25.84%), root volume (27.0%), and root length (37.64%), observed at the harvest stage compared to control (T₁-no potassium application). The treatment T₈ was on par with T₇ and recorded highest uptake of macro (N, P, and K) and micro (Zn, Fe, Cu, and Mn) nutrients. While soil parameters such as available nitrogen and potassium levels were notably increased through the application of treatment T₇ across various treatment combinations and found significantly superiority over treatment T₈. Multivariate analysis also highlighted treatment T₇ is more efficient in maintaining sustainability. Hence, based on the present findings it can be concluded that application of 75% RDK +25% K augmentation through FYM + PGPR and nano K fertilizer spray at 25 and 40 DAS (T₇) can be recommended for achieving enhanced productivity and soil fertility improvement within agricultural systems.

Efficient nitrogen management is crucial for sustaining soil health, optimizing yields, and ensuring the long-term viability of organic farming systems. A cereal-legume cropping system is widely recognized for improving nutrient cycling and ecosystem services. This study investigates the impact of these treatments on soil quality, energy fractions, and yield of fodder maize-berseem-cowpea under organic farming with a focus on enhancing ecosystem services and supporting agroecological principles. A three-year field experiment (2018–19 to 2020–21) was conducted with maize (M) - berseem (B) - cowpea (C) cropping system laid in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications and seven treatments. Drawing upon the theoretical framework of sustainable agriculture and integrated nutrient management, treatment T₇, (Farmyard manure (FYM) + Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) + 3% foliar spray of panchagavya (M) - PGPR + 3% foliar spray of panchagavya (B) - PGPR + 3% foliar spray of panchagavya (C), resulted in significant improvements in soil organic carbon (4.0–15.2%), soil organic matter content (3.8–14.7%), available nutrients (10.7–36.6%), microbial population (54.8–119.3%), and soil enzymatic activities (103.0–187.2%). Additionally, energy fractions and TDCP content showed positive trends. Yield penalties in maize declined from 11.9 to 8.09% over 3 years; berseem showed a 2.5% initial reduction but improved in subsequent years, while cowpea consistently exhibited slight yield gains. Compared to treatment T₁ (100% chemical fertilizers), treatment T₇ enhanced soil health and nutrient cycling with only a slight reduction in system productivity (4.3 to 7.0%), demonstrating the long-term benefits of organic inputs. This study highlights the importance of integrated nitrogen management in organic systems, reducing reliance on synthetic fertilizers while enhancing ecological sustainability. It offers a practical approach to improving soil resilience, boosting energy efficiency, and supporting sustainable development goals—providing valuable insights for policymakers and practitioners pursuing environmentally responsible agricultural practices.

A field experiment was conducted during the kharif and rabi seasons of 2010-11 and 2011-12 at Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi to find out the performance of maize (Zea mays L.) - wheat (Triticum aestvum L.) cropping system with potassium (K) fertilization through muriate of potash and farmyard manure. Ten treatments were evaluated in randomized block design with three replications. All the treatment with potassium irrespective of sources showed significant increase in grain yield. Application of 60 kg K through muriate of potash + 30 kg K through farmyard manure produced highest grain yield of maize (4.44 and 5.42 tonnes/ha) and wheat (5.39 and 5.49 tonnes/ha), which was significantly superior over grain yield of maize (2.21 and 2.72 tonnes/ha) and wheat (3.80 and 3.89 tonnes/ha) as obtained from control during both the years. Application of K showed better root growth over no K application. In maize, application of 90 kg K/ha, supplemented 60 kg K/ha through MOP and 30 kg K/ha through farmyard manure (FYM) recorded highest root length density (4.51 and 4.33 cm/cm3), surface area density (1.31 and 1.11 cm2/ cm3) root volume density (30.5 and 28.6 cm3/cm3) and dry weight (9.0 and 10.1 g/plant). Similarly, in wheat the same treatment also recorded highest root length density (2.7 and 3.03 cm/cm3), surface area density (0.60 and 0.64 cm2/ cm3), root volume density (12.52 and 16.9 cm3/cm3) and dry weight (2.43 and 2.84 g /plant) during both the years.