Cumulative Impact of Herbicides and Tillage in Conservation Agriculture on Soil Microbiome, Fungal Diversity and Crop Productivity

Cumulative Impact of Herbicides and Tillage in Conservation Agriculture on Soil Microbiome, Fungal Diversity and Crop Productivity | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Article Cumulative Impact of Herbicides and Tillage in Conservation Agriculture on Soil Microbiome, Fungal Diversity and Crop Productivity Knight Nthebere, Tata Ram Prakash, Padmaja Bhimireddy, Latha P. Chandran, and 3 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-4467535/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Published Journal Publication published 10 Jul, 2025 Read the published version in Scientific Reports → Version 1 posted 10 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract In a diversified cropping system, the kinds of tillage methods and weed management practices significantly influence soil microbiome, which affects crop productivity. The synergetic impacts of such practices on soil microbiome in association with yield under diverse crop rotation with conservation agriculture (CA) have not been extensively explored thus far in Southern India. Thus, a CA experiment was undertaken to investigate the impact of tillage and weed management on soil microbiome and fungal diversity at 30 days after sowing (DAS) and tasseling stage (60 DAS) of maize (in the 8th crop cycle) and to monitor yield. Three tillage practices; T 1 :CT(C)-CT(M)-fallow(N Sr ), T 2 :CT(C)-ZT(M)-ZT( Sr ) and T 3 :ZT(C) + Sr R-ZT(M) + CR-ZT( Sr ) + MS and weed control tactics involved; W 1 -Chemical weed control, W 2 -Herbicide rotation (in alternative year), W 3 - Integrated weed management (IWM) and W 4 -Single hand-weeded control were laid-out in split-plot design. Rhizosphere soil and rhizoplane samples were collected from the respective plots at 30 DAS after herbicides application and tasseling stage (60 DAS). Analysis for microbial population and fungal diversity, enzyme and microbial activities was done duly following standard procedures. The salient findings indicated; a decline in enzyme activities, microbial population, microbial activities at initial stages (30 DAS) due to impact of herbicides which later on increased by tasseling. These biological properties were higher under T 3 and W 4 , followed by IWM except metabolic quotient (qCO 2 ) which showed a decreasing trend relative to T 1 , T 2 and W 1 , W 2 at both sampling stages of maize. Kernel yield (KY) and System yield (SY) were enhanced by T 3 and IWM, herbicides treated plots (W 1 and W 2 ) compared to T 1 , T 2 and W 4 . Talaromyces flavus , a beneficially rhizosphere micro-inhabitant was identified under T 3 in combination with IWM. Considering both crop productivity and soil biological assessment, T 3 and IWM were considered the best treatment combinations among all others with SY (4453 kg ha − 1 ). These findings signify the importance of adopting reduced tillage (T 3 ) and IWM to achieve sustainable biodiversity and food security. This will further help the farmers and the policy makers to deeply understand the effectiveness of developing sustainable and eco-friendly tillage practice and weed control strategy for improving soil health and bolstering sustained crop productivity. Biological sciences/Biological techniques Biological sciences/Ecology Biological sciences/Microbiology Earth and environmental sciences/Environmental sciences Biological Assessment Soil Health Fungal Diversity Conservation Agriculture Sustainability Full Text Supplementary Files SupplementaryFigure6MultipleSequenceAlignmentd1.doc SupplementaryFigures20.05.2024.doc SupplementaryTablesJournal.doc Cite Share Download PDF Status: Published Journal Publication published 10 Jul, 2025 Read the published version in Scientific Reports → Version 1 posted Editorial decision: Revision requested 16 Sep, 2024 Reviews received at journal 26 Aug, 2024 Reviews received at journal 13 Aug, 2024 Reviewers agreed at journal 07 Aug, 2024 Reviewers agreed at journal 06 Aug, 2024 Reviewers invited by journal 09 Jun, 2024 Editor assigned by journal 08 Jun, 2024 Editor invited by journal 28 May, 2024 Submission checks completed at journal 24 May, 2024 First submitted to journal 23 May, 2024 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-4467535","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":311109152,"identity":"395cc119-e735-4488-aede-705bb8a10a82","order_by":0,"name":"Knight Nthebere","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA2ElEQVRIiWNgGAWjYBACCQYGNgbGBiCLHUQYWBCjhRmqhecASIsEKVokEqC2EgKSs/uPPfi4wyafX/L51Q0/CiQY+Nu7E/BqkZY5zG4480ya5czZOWU3e4AOkzhzdgNeLXISyWzSvG2HDQxu56Td4AFqMZDIJULL37b/BvY3z6Td/EOMFmmQFsa2AwYGEuzHbhNli+SMZDPJ3jPJBhJncthuyxhI8BD0i8SNxGcSP3fYGfC3H392880fGzn+9l78WpAAjwGYJFY5CLA/IEX1KBgFo2AUjCAAABbyQ38EgeDtAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC","orcid":"","institution":"Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Knight","middleName":"","lastName":"Nthebere","suffix":""},{"id":311109154,"identity":"44d20b31-b7eb-4fc1-a93b-92481963e3a3","order_by":1,"name":"Tata Ram Prakash","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Tata","middleName":"Ram","lastName":"Prakash","suffix":""},{"id":311109155,"identity":"76781a7a-5063-44e0-8f71-d678d4460792","order_by":2,"name":"Padmaja Bhimireddy","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Padmaja","middleName":"","lastName":"Bhimireddy","suffix":""},{"id":311109156,"identity":"3d895fa3-985c-4f34-bd8e-38123d82b079","order_by":3,"name":"Latha P. 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The synergetic impacts of such practices on soil microbiome in association with yield under diverse crop rotation with conservation agriculture (CA) have not been extensively explored thus far in Southern India. Thus, a CA experiment was undertaken to investigate the impact of tillage and weed management on soil microbiome and fungal diversity at 30 days after sowing (DAS) and tasseling stage (60 DAS) of maize (in the 8th crop cycle) and to monitor yield. Three tillage practices; \u003cb\u003eT\u003c/b\u003e\u003csub\u003e\u003cb\u003e1\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/sub\u003e:CT(C)-CT(M)-fallow(N\u003cem\u003eSr\u003c/em\u003e), \u003cb\u003eT\u003c/b\u003e\u003csub\u003e\u003cb\u003e2\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/sub\u003e:CT(C)-ZT(M)-ZT(\u003cem\u003eSr\u003c/em\u003e) and \u003cb\u003eT\u003c/b\u003e\u003csub\u003e\u003cb\u003e3\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/sub\u003e:ZT(C)\u0026thinsp;+\u0026thinsp;\u003cem\u003eSr\u003c/em\u003eR-ZT(M)\u0026thinsp;+\u0026thinsp;CR-ZT(\u003cem\u003eSr\u003c/em\u003e)\u0026thinsp;+\u0026thinsp;MS and weed control tactics involved; \u003cb\u003eW\u003c/b\u003e\u003csub\u003e\u003cb\u003e1\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/sub\u003e-Chemical weed control, \u003cb\u003eW\u003c/b\u003e\u003csub\u003e\u003cb\u003e2\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/sub\u003e-Herbicide rotation (in alternative year), \u003cb\u003eW\u003c/b\u003e\u003csub\u003e\u003cb\u003e3\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/sub\u003e- Integrated weed management (IWM) and \u003cb\u003eW\u003c/b\u003e\u003csub\u003e\u003cb\u003e4\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/sub\u003e-Single hand-weeded control were laid-out in split-plot design. Rhizosphere soil and rhizoplane samples were collected from the respective plots at 30 DAS after herbicides application and tasseling stage (60 DAS). Analysis for microbial population and fungal diversity, enzyme and microbial activities was done duly following standard procedures. The salient findings indicated; a decline in enzyme activities, microbial population, microbial activities at initial stages (30 DAS) due to impact of herbicides which later on increased by tasseling. These biological properties were higher under T\u003csub\u003e3\u003c/sub\u003e and W\u003csub\u003e4\u003c/sub\u003e, followed by IWM except metabolic quotient (qCO\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e) which showed a decreasing trend relative to T\u003csub\u003e1\u003c/sub\u003e, T\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e and W\u003csub\u003e1\u003c/sub\u003e, W\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e at both sampling stages of maize. Kernel yield (KY) and System yield (SY) were enhanced by T\u003csub\u003e3\u003c/sub\u003e and IWM, herbicides treated plots (W\u003csub\u003e1\u003c/sub\u003e and W\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e) compared to T\u003csub\u003e1\u003c/sub\u003e, T\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e and W\u003csub\u003e4\u003c/sub\u003e. \u003cem\u003eTalaromyces flavus\u003c/em\u003e, a beneficially rhizosphere micro-inhabitant was identified under T\u003csub\u003e3\u003c/sub\u003e in combination with IWM. Considering both crop productivity and soil biological assessment, T\u003csub\u003e3\u003c/sub\u003e and IWM were considered the best treatment combinations among all others with SY (4453 kg ha\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e). These findings signify the importance of adopting reduced tillage (T\u003csub\u003e3\u003c/sub\u003e) and IWM to achieve sustainable biodiversity and food security. This will further help the farmers and the policy makers to deeply understand the effectiveness of developing sustainable and eco-friendly tillage practice and weed control strategy for improving soil health and bolstering sustained crop productivity.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Cumulative Impact of Herbicides and Tillage in Conservation Agriculture on Soil Microbiome, Fungal Diversity and Crop Productivity","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2024-06-06 03:50:21","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-4467535/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0},{"type":"decision","content":"Revision requested","date":"2024-09-16T05:38:41+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2024-08-26T08:14:16+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2024-08-13T22:40:23+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"249749308639055199445457709112089844401","date":"2024-08-07T06:28:53+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"46045589460180584166658304776467964395","date":"2024-08-06T15:29:27+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewersInvited","content":"","date":"2024-06-09T05:07:46+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorAssigned","content":"","date":"2024-06-09T03:25:24+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvited","content":"","date":"2024-05-28T21:01:40+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"checksComplete","content":"","date":"2024-05-24T14:10:35+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"submitted","content":"Scientific Reports","date":"2024-05-23T14:31:07+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"scientific-reports","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"scirep","sideBox":"Learn more about [Scientific Reports](http://www.nature.com/srep/)","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"","title":"Scientific Reports","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"stoa","reportingPortfolio":"Scientific Reports","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"9c623b2c-92c4-40ea-94c8-a982152a3315","owner":[],"postedDate":"June 6th, 2024","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"published-in-journal","subjectAreas":[{"id":32880132,"name":"Biological sciences/Biological techniques"},{"id":32880133,"name":"Biological sciences/Ecology"},{"id":32880134,"name":"Biological sciences/Microbiology"},{"id":32880135,"name":"Earth and environmental sciences/Environmental sciences"}],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2025-07-14T16:08:31+00:00","versionOfRecord":{"articleIdentity":"rs-4467535","link":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-09616-5","journal":{"identity":"scientific-reports","isVorOnly":false,"title":"Scientific Reports"},"publishedOn":"2025-07-10 15:57:20","publishedOnDateReadable":"July 10th, 2025"},"versionCreatedAt":"2024-06-06 03:50:21","video":"","vorDoi":"10.1038/s41598-025-09616-5","vorDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-09616-5","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-4467535","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-4467535","identity":"rs-4467535","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"qtupq5eGEP_6zYnWcrvyt","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}