~ 208 ~ Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry 2019; SP5: 208-211 E-ISSN: 2278-4136 P-ISSN: 2349-8234 JPP 2019; SP5: 208-211 Shikha Verma Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Birsa Agricultural University, Kanke, Ranchi, Jharkhand, India Prabhakar Mahapatra Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Birsa Agricultural University, Kanke, Ranchi, Jharkhand, India Shashi Bhushan Kumar Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Birsa Agricultural University, Kanke, Ranchi, Jharkhand, India Asha Kumari Sinha Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Birsa Agricultural University, Kanke, Ranchi, Jharkhand, India Asisan Minz Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Birsa Agricultural University, Kanke, Ranchi, Jharkhand, India Kumari Prerna Deep Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Birsa Agricultural University, Kanke, Ranchi, Jharkhand, India Suryanshu Yadav Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Birsa Agricultural University, Kanke, Ranchi, Jharkhand, India Jyotiranjan Pal Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Birsa Agricultural University, Kanke, Ranchi, Jharkhand, India Arun Eby Palatty Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Birsa Agricultural University, Kanke, Ranchi, Jharkhand, India Correspondence Shikha Verma Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Birsa Agricultural University, Kanke, Ranchi, Jharkhand, India (Special Issue- 5) International Conference on “Food Security through Agriculture & Allied Sciences” (May 27-29, 2019) Long term effect of nutrient management on biological properties of acid soil under maize-wheat cropping system Shikha Verma, Prabhakar Mahapatra, Shashi Bhushan Kumar, Asha Kumari Sinha, Asisan Minz, Kumari Prerna Deep, Suryanshu Yadav, Jyotiranjan Pal and Arun Eby Palatty Abstract The present study was undertaken on the soil of on-going permanent manurial trial (PMT) during 2015- 16, with maize-wheat cropping system, initiated in 1956 at Birsa Agricultural University in Jharkhand state, India. The selected treatments were T1-N0P0K0 (control), T2-100%N, T3-100%NP, T4-100%NPK, T5-100%NPK+Lime, T6-Farmyard manure (FYM) alone, T7- - ½ (N+FYM) + P (A-X/2) + K (B-Y/2) (Integrated nutrient management; INM) and T8-Lime+N. Surface soil samples from all the treatments were collected and biological properties [soil microbial population, soil microbial biomass carbon (SMBC), dehydrogenase activity (DHA) and potential mineralizable nitrogen (PMN)] were determined and compared with the sustainability of the maize-wheat cropping system in terms of sustainable yield index (SYI). Population of bacteria and actinomycetes were favoured by application of lime/FYM in conjunction with 100% NPK as well as by FYM alone while application of only inorganic fertilizers resulted in higher fungal population. Application of lime or FYM in conjunction with NPK recorded increased SMBC, DHA and PMN over control. Continuous use of imbalanced chemical fertilizer particularly through urea alone had deleterious effect on biological properties of the soil. Highest SYI was recorded in 100%NPK+ lime treatment (0.43) followed by T7 receiving integrated application of FYM and NPK (0.36). 100% N treatment recorded the lowest and negative SYI (-0.03). The study revealed that integrated application of lime/FYM along with balanced chemical fertilizers for cereal- cereal cropping system in acid soil could be followed for maintaining the sustainability of the system as well for maintaining the soil biological health. Keywords: Acid soil, lime, FYM, soil microbial biomass carbon, dehydrogenase activity, potential mineralizable nitrogen, sustainable yield index Introduction The concept of soil health deals with integrating the physical, chemical and biological components of the soil. The soil quality is strongly influenced by the microbiological mediated processes. Soil microbes play an important role in nutrient cycling, decomposition of organic matter, mineralization of organic forms of element, bioremediation of toxic wastes and various other biochemical reactions which influences the soil fertility and plant growth. Changes in soil properties due to different nutrient management practices can significantly affect the biological properties of soils, some of them being extremely sensitive to soil management; and hence some soil biological properties can be used as indirect indicators of appropriate soil management and good soil quality (Gurjar et al. 2017) [6] . There are reports which suggest that application of fertilizers on continuous basis has resulted in the changed composition and functions of soil microorganisms (Dong et al. 2014) [3] . Application of organic manure improves the microbial condition of soil (Babu et al. 2007) [1] . There are reports suggesting that conjunctive use of organic manure with chemical fertilizers improve the population of microbes and enzymatic activities (Mallikarjun and Maity, 2018) [10] . A knowledge of soil biological properties is thus important for maintaining soil quality, plant health, soil resilience, soil fertility and soil sustainability. The present investigation was therefore conducted to