Response of soil arthropods population to different farming systems under cotton integrated with groundnut and pigeonpea crops

A study was carried out to know the response of organic, integrated and conventional farming systems on the diversity of soil meso and macro arthropod populations in the cotton inter cropped with groundnut and pigeonpea at MARS, UAS, Dharwad during kharif-2015-16. The organic farming system has recorded highest meso and macro arthropod population of 21.35 per 100 g of soil and 42.00 per pitfall trap respectively. Cotton intercropped with groundnut has recorded higher population of meso and macro arthropods (15.50/100 g of soil and 41.26/pitfall trap, respectively). The seasonal abundance of soil arthropods was high in October (25.89/100g of soil) and least in December (5.78/100g of soil) months. The diversity of soil arthropod populations assessed on the Shannon's index of below ground arthropod populations recorded was highest in organic farming (0.61) and least in conventional farming (0.51) system. Hence, the organic farming system increases abundance and diversity of soil organisms and soil fertility, and it adds large amounts of organic residue inputs, which in turn increases the biological activity in soil.