Evaluation of soil quality under integrated nutrient management

To illustrate the effect of Integrated Nutrient Management (INM) on soil quality changes over time, an experiment was conducted in the farmer's field and Research Farm of NERIWALM during 2001–2003. A comparison between the performance of INM and the FP (Farmers’ Practice) was also done. Based on the changes in relative soil quality index (RSQI), soil quality changes were evaluated. Soil quality in INM trial was increased by 12–19 units as compared to 7–9 units in farmers’ practice. The soil quality in terms of CEC, pH, N, P, K, organic matter, soil texture, etc., increased up to 58 per cent. The combination of a soil change database has proved an effective method for evaluating changes in soil quality at small scales.