~ 495 ~ The Pharma Innovation Journal 2021; SP-10(9): 495-502 ISSN (E): 2277- 7695 ISSN (P): 2349-8242 NAAS Rating: 5.23 TPI 2021; SP-10(9): 495-502 © 2021 TPI www.thepharmajournal.com Received: 19-07-2021 Accepted: 21-08-2021 Bipin Bihari Ph.D. Scholar, Department of Soil Science & Agricultural Chemistry, Bihar Agricultural University, Sabour, Bhagalpur, Bihar, India Ragini Kumari Assistant Professor Cum-Jr. Scientist, Department of Soil Science & Agricultural Chemistry, Bihar Agricultural University, Sabour, Bhagalpur, Bihar, India Rajeev Padbhushan Assistant Professor Cum-Jr. Scientist, Department of Soil Science & Agricultural Chemistry, Bihar Agricultural University, Sabour, Bhagalpur, Bihar, India Rajkishore Kumar Assistant Professor Cum-Jr. Scientist, Department of Soil Science & Agricultural Chemistry, Bihar Agricultural University, Sabour, Bhagalpur, Bihar, India Gopal Kumar Ph.D. Scholar, Department of Soil Science & Agricultural Chemistry, Bihar Agricultural University, Sabour, Bhagalpur, Bihar, India Shailja Kumari M.Sc. Scholar, Department of Soil Science & Agricultural Chemistry, Bihar Agricultural University, Sabour, Bhagalpur, Bihar, India Mona Kumari M.Sc. Scholar, Department of Soil Science & Agricultural Chemistry, Bihar Agricultural University, Sabour, Bhagalpur, Bihar, India Corresponding Author Ragini Kumari Assistant Professor Cum-Jr. Scientist, Department of Soil Science & Agricultural Chemistry, Bihar Agricultural University, Sabour, Bhagalpur, Bihar, India Management of crop residue for enhancement of crop productivity and nutrient cycling Bipin Bihari, Ragini Kumari, Rajeev Padbhushan, Rajkishore Kumar, Gopal Kumar, Shailja Kumari and Mona Kumari Abstract Today sustainable agriculture production system is facing the problem of declining in agricultural growth and factor productivity, shrinkage in cultivated area, low level of soil organic matter, soil degradation, multi-nutrient deficiencies, depleted ground water resources, increased cost of production and low farm income and increased environment pollution (Singh, 2015). For overcoming these constraints crop residue management is one of the best alternatives because of its diverse and positive effect on soil health. Crop residues management improves organic carbon and N content in soil, affects soil pH through accumulation of CO2 and organic acids produced during their decomposition in the soil, reclamation and management of saline and alkaline soil, behave as a reservoir for plant nutrients, decreases the bulk density of soil and increases the porosity of the soil, provides energy for growth and activities of microbes. We know that sustainability of the most of the cropping system depends on soil quality and improving the level of soil organic matter through incorporation of crop residues and other organic sources leads to improve soil quality and nutrient cycling and which also simultaneously provide alternative means for biomass disposal. Subsurface placement of rice residue as well as time of residue incorporation had a large impact on decomposition of rice residue (Singh et al., 2004b). The carbon and nutrient held in various soil organic matter pools are subsequently decomposed and assimilated by soil biomass resulting in additional mineralization. Immobilization process occurs simultaneously with mineralization process and the rate at which nutrients are available for plant uptake depends on net balance between mineralization and immobilization. In a long term experiment on a loamy sand soil in Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, incorporation of residues of both crop in rice-wheat rotation increased the total and available P and K content of soil over removal of residues (Beri et al., 1995). Grain yield of wheat increased when it is sown in rice residue (Sidhu et al., 2011) and when residue is incorporated into soil (Ramesh Chandra, 2011). Management of crop residues offers sustainable and ecologically sound alternatives for meeting the nutrients requirements of crops and improving crop productivity. Keywords: crop residue, enhancement, crop productivity, nutrient cycling Introduction After green revolution, the inherent fertility of soil has been degraded due to intensive cultivation, use of high doses of chemical fertilizer and insufficient uses of organics like farmyard manure, compost, crop residue, green manure, bio-fertilizers etc. Stagnation in agricultural production in last few years, that too with increasing use of inputs, a cause of concern, has led to awareness on the sustainability issues related to crop production. Sustainability of the most of the cropping system is at risk due to deterioration of soil health; ascend pressure on natural resources and emerging challenges of climate change. These are some sustainability issues related to crop production: ▪ Decline in agricultural growth and factor productivity. ▪ Shrinkage in cultivated area. ▪ Low level of soil organic matter (about 70% of Indian soil are low in organic matter content). ▪ Soil degradation (low use of organic sources, little return of crop residues/ burning of crop residues and intensive tillage). ▪ Multi-nutrient deficiencies due to intensive cultivation. ▪ Depletion of ground water resources. ▪ Increased cost of production and low farm income. ▪ Increasing environment pollution.