Article Abstract

Volume 33, No. (6), 2023 (December)
SOIL QUALITY EVALUATION OF ORGANIC AND CONVENTIONAL FARMING IN KARAKORAM LANDSCAPE, PAKISTAN
F. Begum, , S. Aziz, S. Mumtaz, S. Wafee, J. A. Qureshi, E. Alam, S. A. Bakhan, N. Mir and Saif-ud-Din

F. Begum, , S. Aziz, S. Mumtaz, S. Wafee, J. A. Qureshi, E. Alam, S. A. Bakhan, N. Mir and Saif-ud-Din

1Department of Environmental Sciences, Karakoram International University, Gilgit.

2Department of Biological Sciences, Karakoram International University, Gilgit.

3Department of Chemistry, Karakoram International University, Gilgit.

4Department of Earth Sciences, Karakoram International University Gilgit.

5School of Environmental Science and Spatial informatics, China University of Mining and Technology, China

6Department of Food and Agriculture, Karakoram International University Gilgit.

Corresponding Author: farida.shams@kiu.edu.pk
Page Number(s): 1384-1391
Published Online First: August 20, 2023
Publication Date: December 13, 2023
ABSTRACT

In the rugged landscape of the Karakoram Range in lower Hunza Pakistan, we examined the agricultural soil quality under conventional and organic farming systems. Soil samples were collected from both farming practices using quadrates of 10*10 cmat a depth of 0-10 cm for both physico-chemical and microarthropods extraction.The modified Berlese funnel method was used to extract soil microarthropod communities. The Soil Biological Quality Index (QBS-ar), Population Density (PD), and Taxa Richness (TR) were determined. Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) showed a significant variation between conventional and organic farming systems for pH while most of the investigated parameters like bulk density (BD), moisture, soil temperature, Soil organic carbon (SOC), Soil organic matter (SOM), Nitrate nitrogen (NO3-N), Available Phosphorus (Av. P), Exchangeable Potassium (Ex.K), QBS-ar, Population density, and Taxa richness did not show significant differences, however, the mean value of BD, PD, TR, and moisture were higher at organic farming while soil temperature, pH, Electrical conductivity (EC), SOM, SOC, NO3-N, Ex. K and Av. P were higher in the conventional farming system. Pearson Correlation showed a significant negative relationship of EC with SOM, SOC, QBS-ar, and TR. In contrast, TR has shown a positive correlation with SOC, SOM, QBS-ar, and PD. Organic farming fields have a greater biological quality of soil, as evaluated by QBS-ar, TR, and PD, indicating improved soil quality/ conditions. In contrast, most of the physico-chemical and fertility parameters are higher in the conventional farming system.

Keywords: Mountain agriculture, QBS-ar, Soil organic carbon, Tillage
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Cite Score: 1.3

JCR Year: 2025

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Print ISSN: 1018-7081

Electronic ISSN: 2309-8694

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