IMPACT OF LONG-TERM ZERO-TILLAGE AND CROPPING SYSTEM ON CHEMICAL AND MICROBIOLOGICAL PROPERTIES OF SOILDHINU YADAV AND LEELA WATIAbstract Long-term tillage methods and crop rotations can change the physico-chemical and microbiological properties of soil. Under different climatic conditions, the tillage system may have an impact on soil qualities. In the present investigation, soil microbial diversity at different depths was studied in long term tillage experiment continued since 1997-98 (sorghum-wheat), 2014-15 (pearl millet-wheat), 2010-2011 (rice-wheat) and 2006-07 (guar-wheat) that was carried out in sandy loam, sandy, loamy sand and sandy textured soil at Hisar, Rewari, Karnal and Mahendragarh (Haryana) during 2017-18, respectively. Adoption of ZT practice positively affected EC, pH, Total NPK content, viable counts, enzymatic activities and functional diversity of microbes. As a result, ZT appears to be a successful method for improving the physico-chemical and microbiological properties of soil, which could lead to increased soil health and crop productivity. |