International Journal of Plant & Soil Science

Shifting cultivation commonly known as Jhum is a primitive and traditional practice carried out by Jhumiasfor centuries. Soil microbes play a vital role in regulating soil fertility and nutrient cycling in different terrestrial ecosystems. The main objective of the present study is to examine changes in soil properties (soil organic carbon, SOC; total nitrogen, TN; available phosphorus, P_avail; ammonium nitrogen, NH₄-N; nitrate nitrogen, NO₃-N; nitrogen mineralization, N_min) and rice productivity for three years cropping phase in shifting cultivation stand with different fallow phases (3 years old, FL-3; 5 years old, FL-5; and 10 years old fallow, FL-10) in Mizoram. The results indicated that soil physico-chemical properties were significantly higher (p<0.05) in longer fallow (FL-10) compared to shorter fallow (FL-3). The rate of N_min showed significant differences among seasons and showed significant increase in longer fallow (FL-10) compared to shorter fallows (FL-3 and FL-5). Rice yield and productivity showed significant increase from 3 years to 10 years. Further, soil properties and rice productivity showed significant decline from first year to third year cropping. It appears that the longer fallow have conserved better soil nutrients compared to shorter fallow. Additionally, the addition of leaf litter and fine roots had strong effect on increasing fertility and organic carbon (SOC) pool in soil that helps to enhance plant productivity in different fallow lands in hilly region of Mizoram.