Physiochemical and PGPR Analysis of Soil in Chemically and Organically Fertilized Agronomic Fields of Janjgir-Champa for Sustainable Agriculture

Abstract

India serves 18% of the global human population and 15% of the livestock population with 2.4% of the world's land area. The Green Revolution in India began in mid-1960s by M.S. Swaminathan and successfully increased crop yields. But long-term chemical fertilizer application in agricultural land causes severe soil degradation, affecting acidity, microbiota and natural nutrient balance. To address these issues of soil degradation, present research is shifted toward bio-based solutions such as plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR). Janjgir-Champa District has been listed under severity list-A next to Baloda Bazar, Durg and Bemetara, with special reference to soil deterioration. This study explored bio-based restoration strategies in the Janjgir-Champa District of Chhattisgarh by comparing physicochemical and biological properties of chemically treated versus organic leguminous rhizospheres. Present findings revealed that chemically treated soils exhibit higher acidity (pH 5.75) and lower organic carbon content (0.32%) whereas organic fields maintain a healthier pH of 6.45 and nearly triple the carbon content. Most significantly, organic soil supports rhizosphere bacterial counts (9.8 ×106 CFU/g), which were nearly 800 times higher than in chemical agronomic fields. These indigenous PGPR strains were shown superior phosphate solubilization along with Indole Acetic Acid (IAA), siderophore and cyanide production. Therefore, an effective implementation of organic fertilization in the agronomic fields of the study area has emerged as a potent bio-based strategy to restore degraded soil.