Parametric Investigations of Agricultural Farming Soil Fertility and Its Effect on Paddy Crops Yield: A Case Study from Palghar District of Maharashtra, India

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to present a comprehensive case study, conducted at an agricultural land of ASPEE Agricultural Research & Development Foundation (ARDF) based in north Konkan region of Maharashtra, India, which investigates the key factors affecting soil fertility and their impact on paddy crop yield. The entire study comprises was of four main steps: soil sample collection, testing and compilation of soil test reports, use of recommended doses of fertilizers (RDF), and data collection on test crops yield. In the crop years 2021 and 2022, before sowing the paddy seeds, the specific soil parameters such as pH, Electrical Conductivity (EC), Organic carbon (OC), Nitrogen (N), Phosphorous (P) and Potassium (K) was estimated and maintained within their advisable ranges. Findings of the present study revealed that crops yield production was significantly increased from 2850 kg/ha in 2021 to 4102.5 kg/ha in 2022. It would be helpful for researchers, practitioners and farmers for providing them with the necessary insights such as crop rotation, organic formulations, and conservation tillage etc to manage soil-related issues efficiently.