INFLUENCE OF CONSERVATION AGRICULTURE PRACTICES ON PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF SOIL

Tillage has various negative impact on soil. Minimum soil disturbance, residue retention and appropriate crop rotation are basic principles of conservation agriculture (CA) that significantly improve the soil physical and chemical properties. CA practices improve soil aggregation, bulk density and infiltration in long run due to the presence of carbon pool. The higher amount of SOC in surface soil layer in CA is due to higher accumulation of crop residue which also increase nutrient availability.