Global use of urea nitrogen (N) fertilizer is increasing, but N losses are still very high (40–70%). Zeolites have the capability of holding NH₄⁺, thus reducing N losses when applied as a soil amendment. However, application of a large quantity of zeolite is costly and inconvenient. In this study, zeolitic fertilizers were evaluated to select the best formulation with reduced leaching of NH₄-N and NO₃-N and NH₃ volatilization in agricultural soils (Alfisol and Spodosol). The treatments included the following: T₀ = control, T₁ = urea fertilizer, T₂ = zeo-urea (1:1), T₃ = zeo-urea (2:1), T₄ = zeo-urea (3:1), T₅ = zeo-urea (1:2), and T₆ = zeo-urea (1:3). Leaching was performed at 4, 8, 12, 19, 25, 32, 39 and 45 days after the soils were treated with the designated fertilizers, including control, and packed into columns. Leachate samples were collected after each leaching event and analyzed for the concentrations of NH₄-N and NO₃-N and the quantity of leachate. Ammonia volatilization was recorded at days 1, 5, 9, 13 and 20 of soil treatments. Results indicate that zeolitic fertilizer formulations effectively reduced N losses. NH₄-N loss was reduced by 13% and 28% by zeo-urea (1:1) in Alfisol and Spodosol soils, respectively, whereas zeo-urea (2:1) and zeo-urea (3:1) effectively decreased NO₃-N leaching in Alfisol. Volatilization loss of NH₃ was reduced by 47% in Spodosol and 32% in Alfisol soil with zeo-urea (1:1) as compared with that of urea fertilizer. The results suggest that zeo-urea (1:1) is an effective fertilizer formulation for reducing N losses, especially in Alfisol, as compared with conventional urea fertilizer.

Landuse can alter soil organic carbon (SOC) fractions by affecting carbon inflows and outflows. This study evaluated changes in SOC fractions in response to different landuses under variable rainfalls. We compared cropland, grassland and forest soils in high rainfall (Islamabad ~1142 mm) and low rainfall (Chakwal ~667 mm) areas of Pothwar dryland, Pakistan. Forest soils in both rainfall areas had highest SOC (11.32 g kg⁻¹), particulate organic carbon (POC, 1.70 g kg⁻¹), mineral-associated organic carbon (MOC, 7.17 g kg⁻¹) and aggregate-associated organic carbon (AOC, 7.86 g kg⁻¹). However, in rangeland and cropland soils, these varied with rainfall. Under high rainfall, SOC and MOC were 12% and 17% higher in rangeland than in cropland while POC and AOC were equal. Under low rainfall, SOC and MOC were higher in rangeland than in cropland by 7.21 and 1.79 g kg⁻¹ at 0–15 cm and equal at 15–30 cm depth. POC and AOC were higher in rangeland than in cropland, in both depths. Averagely, SOC, POC, MOC and AOC were 26%, 68%, 76% and 30% higher in high rainfall than in low rainfall soils. Sensitivity of SOC fractions to landuses observed under different rainfalls could provide useful information for soil management in subtropical drylands.

Sustainable phosphorus (P) management is essential to preventing mineral fertilizer losses, reducing water pollution, and addressing eutrophication issues. Phosphorus sorption and mobility are strongly influenced by the properties of biochar, which are determined by pyrolysis temperature and type of feedstock. This understanding is crucial for optimizing biochar application for soil nutrient management. Therefore, a batch sorption-desorption experiment was conducted to examine P sorption-desorption in plant-based (parthenium, corn cobs) and manure-based (farmyard manure, poultry manure) biochars prepared at both 400 °C and 600 °C. Manure-based biochars demonstrated higher P sorption at 400 °C, with less sorption at 600 °C, while plant-based counterparts exhibited lower sorption capacities. Phosphorus desorption, on the other hand, increased at 600 °C, particularly in manure-based biochars. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier-transform infrared spectra (FTIR) analysis suggested that a lower pyrolysis temperature (400 °C) enhances P sorption due to higher specific surface area and different functional groups. Additionally, the manure-based biochars, which were enriched with calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg), contributed to increased P sorption. In summary, P sorption is enhanced by a lower carbonization (400 °C) temperature. Although manure-based biochars excel in retaining P, their effectiveness is limited to shorter durations. In contrast, plant-based biochars showcase a prolonged capacity for P retention.

A 2-year research experiment was laid out in a split-plot design with moldboard ploughing (MP, control) and minimum tillage (MT) as main plots and crop sequences as sub-plots. Summer-winter cropping sequences were fallow-wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) (FW, control), mungbean (Vigna radiata L.)-wheat (MW), sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.)-wheat (SW), green manure-wheat (GW) and mungbean-chickpea (MC) (Cicer arietinum L.). During 2010–2011, in summer, mungbean crop produced the highest above ground biomass in mungbean-chickpea sequence under MP tillage (4.24 Mg ha^–1 mungbean) and in mungbean-wheat sequence under MT tillage (4.11 Mg ha^–1 mungbean). In winter, chickpea gave the highest biomass in mungbean-chickpea sequence under both tillage systems. During 2011–2012, mungbean produced the highest above ground biomass in mungbean-wheat sequence under MT tillage (4.43 Mg ha^–1 mungbean) and in both the mungbean-chickpea and mungbean-wheat sequences under MP tillage (4.24 and 4.17 Mg ha^–1 mungbean, respectively). In winter, fallow-wheat sequence gave the highest biomass in both tillage systems. The differences in grain yields were statistically non-significant in both the years. The gross marginal benefit ranged between −190 and 548$ ha^–1 in the first year and −165 and 1124$ ha^–1 in the second year. The net benefit values were the highest in mung-chickpea sequence under both tillage systems (1008 and 596$ ha^–1 under MP and MT, respectively), which gave cost–benefit ratios of 5.45 and 3.68, respectively. Use of legume-based cropping sequences is a sustainable and cost-effective practice in drylands of northern Punjab, Pakistan.