Soil Carbon Dynamics and Soil Quality Index Under Different Agricultural Production Systems in Rain-Fed Ecosystems

Abstract

The single-tier mono-cropping systems in the rain-fed ecosystems are vulnerable to global climate change and are leading to the unsustainability of the production systems and deterioration of soil health. The present investigation evaluated the dynamics of soil organic carbon (SOC) stock and soil quality index in different multitier agricultural production systems in the rain-fed ecosystems. The agricultural production systems comprise (1) fallow land (FL-control), (2) perennial napier fodder grass (Napier), (3) sole rice crop in the rainy season (Rice), (4) multitier cropping system of mango + mahogany + rice (MMR), (5) plum orchard, (6) multitier cropping system of mango + mahogany + aonla + rice (MMAR), and (7) multitier cropping system of mango + mahogany + peach + rice (MMPR). After 7 years of establishment, the highest total SOC (TSOC) stock was 62.8 Mg ha−1 in the MMAR system, which sequestered 2.71 Mg C ha−1 year−1. Compared to the control, the MMAR system stabilized 1.28, 1.57, 1.5, and 1.48 times more TSOC at 0.0–0.15, 0.15–0.30, 0.30–0.45, and 0.45–0.60 m soil depths, respectively. The MMAR system enhanced the non-labile recalcitrant carbon fraction by 21.1% over the control. The dehydrogenase, fluorescein diacetate, β-glucosidase, and acid phosphatase activities in the MMAR system were 1.48, 1.84, 1.59, and 1.9 times more than the control, respectively, at 0–0.60 m soil depth. The best soil quality indicators identified for the rain-fed ecosystems were fluorescein diacetate, soil microbial biomass carbon, EC, pH, and bulk density. The adoption of multitier systems in rain-fed agroecosystems builds-up a considerable amount of soil carbon stock and maintains better soil quality in comparison to single-tier mono-cropping. © 2025 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.