Diverse rice-based cropping systems and crop residue recycling with appropriate nutrient application influenced the system productivity, soil carbon and nitrogen sequestration in Inceptisols of eastern Indo-Gangatic plain

Abstract Aim To find out the productivity and soil C and N sequestration of diverse intensive rice-based cropping systems under the appropriate nutrient management with different crop residue recycling Methods Field experiment was conducted in split-plot design with five cropping systems (CS) in main plot viz., rice- rice (RR), rice-wheat-jute (RWJ), rice-baby corn-jute(RBcJ), rice-vegetable pea- jute (RVpJ), rice-mustard-green gram-jute (RMGgJ) superimposed with four nutrients and crop residue management (NCRM) practices viz. 75% recommended doses of fertilizers/NPK (RDF) to all crops without crop residue (F1R0), 75% RDF with crop residue (F1R1), 100% RDF without crop residues (F2R0) and 100% RDF with crop residue(F2R1) in sub-plot. The rice, wheat and corn residue @ 4 t/ha and vegetable pea and green gram residue @ 2t/ha was incorporated yearly prior to sowing of jute in April. Results The highest system productivity was obtained in RBcJ cropping system with 100% RDF with crop residue practice whilst, the higher sustainability index in the RMGgJ and RVpJ cropping systems. RMGgJ and F2R1 practice recorded the higher carbon sequestration, carbon management index, nitrogen management index and nitrogen pool at 0–15 cm of soil and it was at par with RVpJ cropping systems. Conclusion Rice based intensive cropping systems having legume crop in rotation (RMGgJ and RVpJ) along with 100% RDF and crop residue incorporation sustained the system productivity and enhanced the soil carbon and nitrogen sequestration in soil.