Soil Organic Carbon (SOC): A Tool of Soil Fertility and Productivity
LR Meena*
Principal Scientist& Head, Division of Cropping System &Resource Management, ICAR-Indian Institute of Farming Systems Research, Modipuram, Meerut, Uttar Pradesh 250 110, India
*Corresponding Author: LR Meena, Principal Scientist& Head, Division of Cropping System &Resource Management, ICAR-Indian Institute of Farming Systems Research, Modipuram, Meerut, Uttar Pradesh 250 110, India.
Published: August 30, 2023
Abstract
Soil organic carbon (SOC) content is considered the key indicator of soil health and the essence of life on earth heavily depends on it. The capacity of a soil to support ecosystem functions along with sustain environmental quality and biological productivity while promoting plant and animal health has been defined as soil health. Therefore, the domain of soil health comprises of human, animal, ecosystem and health aspects. Though under soil organic content, fresh and undecomposed plant materials do not make their contribution however it is a major product of decomposed soil organic matter (SOM) and it got build up slowly after the decomposition of plants and animals as well as micro-organisms. Since long time, farmers and scientists remained well aware of the importance of soil organic carbon (SOC) in respect of soil health and the sustainable agriculture development therefore, soil organic carbon plays a key role in many soil functions. Soil organic carbon content not only stabilizes soil structure and improves aggregation that linked to reduce the soil erosion, improves water absorption capacity but also influenced on the less retention of pesticides and other inorganic pollutants by being virtue of their enhanced mobilization and degradation. Activities, such as increasing nutrients cycling and storage, buffers crop production against water shortages etc. followed to maintain soil fertility and the activities enhanced the soil porosity and aeration, water holding capacity and hydraulic conductivity of soil which on turn provides a habitat and food source for soil organisms that ultimately improve soil biodiversity and health. Hence, the SOC stock exhibits the long-term balance between additions of organic carbon (OC) from different sources and its losses through different pathways.