Vol. 8, Issue 9, Part O (2024)

An investigation was conducted during the rabi seasons of 2021-22 and 2022-23 at the College Farm of N. M. College of Agriculture, Navsari Agricultural University, to assess the impact of sugarcane burning and harvesting times on soil physicochemical and microbial properties. The experiment followed a randomized block design (RBD) with three factors: sugarcane variety (Co 86032 and CoN 13072), sugarcane burning (no burning and burning before harvest), and harvesting time (11, 12, 13, and 14 months), replicated three times. Soil samples were collected from 0-15 cm depth and analysed for pH, EC, organic carbon (OC), bulk density, hydraulic conductivity, and nutrient status (N, P, K). Microbial counts for bacteria, fungi, and actinomycetes were also measured at harvest and 45 and 90 days after harvest (DAH).

Based on two years of investigation results revealed that pre-harvest burning significantly affected soil properties. The results indicate that sugarcane burning significantly reduced available nitrogen by 9.3% to 9.7% compared to no burning, while phosphorus and potassium levels remained unaffected. Soil organic carbon (OC) decreased by 3.2% to 4.5% due to burning but no significant to no burning treatment. Microbial populations were notably impacted, with total bacterial counts decreasing by 60.6% to 62.7%, total fungal counts by 69.7% to 70.8% and actinomycetes by 50.3% to 49.6% immediately after burning at harvest. However, these microbial populations showed recovery within 45 to 90 days after harvest. The study found no significant effects of sugarcane variety or harvesting stages on soil properties. Overall, the findings highlight the immediate detrimental effects of pre-harvest burning on soil health and microbial activity, highlight the need for practices that minimize burning to sustain soil nitrogen and microbial integrity.