Organic nutrient substitution boosts crop yield and soil fertility after 29 years.
Long-term use of organic fertilizers like farm yard manure, green manure, and wheat straw, along with mineral fertilizers, increased wheat crop yield and soil fertility in a rice-wheat farming system. By substituting 50% of nitrogen with farm yard manure in rice, wheat grain yield reached its highest level. Soil pH decreased slightly, while organic carbon and essential nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium increased significantly over 29 years of the study. Overall, using organic supplements in place of some mineral fertilizers improved crop yield, soil health, and nutrient uptake in the long run.