Role of Pulses in Sustaining Soil Health and Crop Production

摘要

Pulses are known for their role in soil fertility restoration besides being a stable vegetarian food.Deep rooting,nitrogen fixation,leaf shedding ability and mobilisation of insoluble soil nutrients are some of the unique characteristics of pulses.Shift towards intensive cereal-cereal cropping systems in view to feed increasing population has met its basic objective of self-sufficiency in the food supply.On the other side,it resulted in the deterioration of soil health leading to the unsustainability of the system.By improving physical,chemical and biological environment in soil,pulses can arrest the declining trend in productivity of cereal-cereal systems.Inclusion of pulses in intensive cereal based systems in itself can act as a component of integrated nutrient supply.Therefore pulses have become a viable alternative to improve the soil health and conserve the natural resources and agricultural sustainability.Currently no amount of chemicals and fertilisers can fully compensate for crop rotation benefits that included a pulse and analysis of these individual factors generally doesn't explain the entire yield responses associated with this system.Hence,this group of crops can be named as Plant growth promoting plants.This paper critically reviews the effect of inclusion of pulses in crop rotations on soil health and sustainability of yields.