Abstract
The use of Jatropha curcas L. (Jatropha) as biofuel is currently increasing in tropical and sub-tropical regions. Jatropha species are well known for synthesizing various toxicants. However, the effects of Jatropha plantation on soil microbiota have barely been investigated. Hence, in current experiment, we had investigated the effects of Jatropha cultivation on soil microbial and biochemical properties in winter, summer and wet seasons after 9 years of plantation with different plant population densities. A nearby uncultivated area was included as the control site. Soil organic carbon was found to increase, while carbon: nitrogen ratio (C:N) decreased under Jatropha plantation as compared to control. Irrespective of seasons, mean microbial biomass C (MBC) and microbial biomass N increased under Jatropha plantation. The microbial quotient calculated as the percentage of MBC to soil organic carbon was lowest in summer and relatively constant in other two seasons. There was a significant increase in urease and dehydrogenase enzyme activities due to Jatropha plantation. The rate of decomposition of soil organic matter was faster under Jatropha cultivation compared to the control. The study revealed that irrespective of population density of Jatropha, there was improvement of soil health in terms of biochemical and microbial characteristics. These findings suggest that Jatropha can be used in the bunds of agricultural lands or in the degraded lands without any harmful effects on the soil microbial community.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Abhilash PC, Srivastava P, Jamil S, Singh N (2010) Revisited Jatropha curcasas an oil plant ofmultiple benefits: critical research needs and prospects for the future. Environ Sci Pollut Res 18:127–131
Achten WMJ, Almeida J, Fobelets V, Bolle E, Mathijs E, Singh VP, Tewari DN, Verchot LV, Muys B (2010a) Life cycle assessment of Jatropha biodiesel as transportation fuel in rural India. Appl Energy 87:3652–3660
Achten WMJ, Maes WH, Aert R, Verchot L, Trabucco A, Mathijs E, Singh VP, Muys B (2010b) Jatropha: from global hype to local opportunity. J Arid Environ 74:164–165
Anderson JPE (1982) Soil respiration. In: Page AL, Miller RH, Keeney DR (eds) Methods of soil analysis part 2: chemical and microbiological properties, 2nd edn. American Society of Agronomy (ASA), Soil Science Society of America (SSSA), Wisconsin, pp 831–871
Anderson TH, Domsch KH (1986) Carbon link between microbial biomass and soil organic matter. In: Perspectives in microbial ecology, proceedings of the 4th international symposium on microbial ecology, Ljubljana, pp 467–471
Arunachalam A, Pandey AHN, Tripathi RS, Maithani K (1996) Biomass and production of fine and coarse roots during regrowth of a disturbed subtropical humid forest in North-East India. Vegetatio 123:73–80
Bandick AK, Dick RP (1999) Field management effects on soil enzyme activities. Soil Biol Biochem 31:1471–1479
Brookes PC, Landman A, Pruden G, Jenkinson DS (1985) Chloroform fumigation and the release of soil nitrogen: a rapid direct extraction method to measure microbial biomass nitrogen in soil. Soil Biol Biochem 17(6):837–842
Chunhakant S, Jinda N, Chaasiri W (2007) Antibacterial activity of the extracts from Jatropha curcas L. In: 5th International symposium on biocontrol and biotechnology, November 13, Nong Khai
daSchio B (2010) Jatropha curcas L., a potential bioenergy crop. On field research in Belize. M.Sc. Dissertation. Padua University, and Wageningen University and Research Centre, Plant Research International
Devappa RK, Makkar HPS, Becker K (2010) Jatropha toxicity-a review. J Toxicol Environ Health 13:476–507
Doran JW, Parkin TB (1994) Defining and assessing soil quality. In: Doran JW, Coleman DC, Bedzdicek DF, Stewart BA (eds) Defining soil quality for a sustainable environment. SSSA Special Publication 35, Madison, pp 3–21
Ebhin Masto R, Chhonkar PK, Singh Dhyan, Patra AK (2006) Changes in soil biological and biochemical characteristics in a long-term field trial on a sub-tropical inceptisol. Soil Biol Biochem 38:1577–1582
Firdaus MS, Hanif AHM, Safiee AS, Ismail MR (2010) Carbon sequestration potential in oil and biomass of Jatropha curcas. Paper presented in 19th world congress of soil science. Soil Solutions for a Changing World, Brisbane, pp 62–65
Floch C, Capowiez Y, Criquet S (2008) Enzyme activities in apple orchard agroecosystems: how are they affected by management strategy and soil properties? Soil Biol Biochem 41(1):1–8
Garcia FO, Rice CW (1994) Microbial biomass dynamics in tall grass prairie. Soil Sci Soc Am J 58:816–823
GOI (Government of India) (2009) National policy on biofuels. Ministry of New & Renewable Energy, GOI, New Delhi
Jenkinson DS, Powlson DS (1976) The effect of biocidal treatments on metabolism in soil. A method for measuring soil biomass. Soil Biol Biochem 8:209–213
Karlen DL, Eash NS, Unger PW (1992) Soil and crop management effects on soil quality indicators. Am J Altern Agric 7:48–55
Klein DA, Loh TC, Goulding RL (1971) A rapid procedure to evaluate dehydrogenase activity of soils low in organic matter. Soil Biol Biochem 3:385–387
Mungai NW, Motavalli PP, Kremer RJ, Nelson KA (2005) Spatial variation of soil enzyme activities and microbial functional diversity in temperate alley cropping systems. Bio Fertil Soils 42:129–136
Nannipieri P, Grego S, Ceccanti B (1990) Ecological significance of the biological activity in soil. In: Bollag JM, Stotzky G (eds) Soil Biochemistry, vol 6. Marcel Dekker, New York, pp 293–355
Ogunwole JO, Chaudhary DR, Ghosh A, Daudu CK, Chikara J, Patolia JS (2008) Contribution of Jatropha curcas to soil quality improvement in a degraded Indian entisol. Plant Soil Sci 58(3):245–251
Oyi AR, Onaolapo JA, Adigun JO (2002) Phytochemcial and antimicrobial screening of the latex of Jatropha curcas L (Euphorbiaceae). J Phytomed Therapeutics 7:63–74
Pandey AN, Purohit RC, Rokad MV (1995) Soil aggregates and stabilization of sand dunes in the Thar desert of India. Environ Conserv 22:69–71
Pankhurst CE, Doube BM, Gupta VVSR (1997) Biological indicators of soil health: synthesis. In: Pankhurst CE, Doube BM, Gupta VVSR (eds) Biological indicators of soil health. CAB International, Wallingford, pp 419–435
Phalan B (2009) The social and environmental impacts of biofuels in Asia: an overview. Appl Energy 86:21–29
Singh S, Singh JS (1995) Microbial biomass associated with water-stable aggregates in forest, savanna and cropland soils of a seasonally dry tropical region. India Soil Biol Biochem 27(8):1027–1033
Singh S, Singh JS (1996) Water-stable aggregates and associated organic matter in forest, savanna, and cropland soils of a seasonally dry tropical region, India. Bio Fertil Soils 22:76–82
Singh JS, Raghubanshi AS, Singh RS, Srivastava SC (1989) Microbial biomass acts as a source of plant nutrients in dry tropical forest and savanna. Nature 338:499–500
Singh AN, Raghubanshi AS, Singh JS (2004) Impact of native tree plantations on mine spoil in a dry tropical environment. For Ecol Manag 187:49–60
Skujins J (1973) Dehydrogenase: an indicator of biological activities in arid soils. Bull Ecol Res Comm 17:235–241
Snyder JD, Trofymow JA (1984) A rapid accurate wet oxidation diffusion procedure for determining organic and inorganic carbon in plant and soil samples. Commun Soil Sci Plant Anal 15(5):587–597
Sparling GP, Ross DJ (1993) Biochemical methods to estimate soil microbial biomass: current developments and applications. In: Mulongoy K, Merckx R (eds) Soil organic matter dynamics and sustainability of tropical agriculture. Wiley, Chichester, pp 21–37
Tabatabai MA, Bremner JM (1969) Use of p-nitrophenyl phosphate for assay of soil phosphatase activity. Soil Biol Biochem 1:301–307
Vanlauwe B, Nwoke OC, Sanginga N, Merckx R (1996) Impacts of residue quality on the C and N mineralisation of leaf and root residues of three agroforestry species. Plant Soil 183:221–231
Vijay P, Yashbir SS, Anu R, Lata N, Radha P (2012) Enhancing soil nutrient dynamics and productivity of Basmati rice through residue incorporation and zinc fertilization. Eur J Agron 41:28–37
Walkey AE, Black JA (1934) An examination of the Degtiga Vett. Method for determining soil organic matter and proposed modification of the chromic acid titration method. Soil Sci 37:29
Wani SP, Chander G, Sahrawat KL, Rao Ch Srinivasa, Raghvendra G, Susanna P, Pavani M (2012) Carbon sequestration and land rehabilitation through Jatropha curcas (L.) plantation in degraded lands. Agric Ecosyst Environ 161:112–120
Zantua MI, Dumenil LC, Bremner JM (1977) Relationships between soil urease activity and other soil properties. Soil Sci Soc Am J 41:350–352
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Mahmoud, A., Singh, S.D., Muralikrishna, K.S. et al. Soil microbial responses as influenced by Jatropha plantation under rainfed condition in north-west India. Agroforest Syst 92, 47–58 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10457-016-0010-4
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10457-016-0010-4