Ley farming - An alternate farming system for sustainability in the Indian arid zone

Monitoring soil physical and biological properties may provide useful information in assessing the sustainability of agricultural systems, as these two components of soil are mainly responsible for improving the soil fertility status and higher plant productivity. Soil physical and biological properties often change when. different cropping, tillage, or management systems other than conventional cultivation practices are imposed. The effects of ley cycles on selected soil physical properties and biological processes were assessed in the Indian arid zone of Jodhpur. Moisture retention and infiltration rates were significantly higher with the ley treatments compared with those of the conventionally cultivated field (CCF); saturated hydraulic conductivity was lower for the different ley treatments. Dehydrogenase, phosphatases, and nitrogenase activities were higher for the ley treatments than for the CCF treatments. Nitrogenase activity was not detected at 15 to 30 cm depth of normal cultivated soil. Continuous forage production for 6 to 8 years had resulted in an increase in the population of nitrifying bacteria, viable VAM spores, organic matter content, and total nitrogen. In general, these increases were highest in soils that remained in stubble. There was no significant difference between the 6- and 8-year ley cycles. Subsurface soil in all the treatments had a lower biological activity. The results of the study demonstrated the potential value of grass leys for enhancing soil biological processes, moisture retention, and infiltration rates. Additionally, the ley treatments improved soil fertility status, resulting in significant increases in yields of pearl millet grain and straw.