Pulses in conservation agriculture: An approach for sustainable crop production and soil health

Abstract

Conservation Agriculture (CA) has emerged as a pivotal paradigm in modern agriculture, emphasizing sustainable practices to enhance crop productivity while preserving soil health and natural resources. Conservation agriculture relies on three key principles: including minimum soil disturbances, permanent soil covers with crop residue and promoting crop/species diversification. Pulses possess unique attributes, such as biological nitrogen f ixation, leaf litter fall, nutrient-enriched crop residues, and a deep root system with enhanced rhizospheric activities, which make them conducive to CA principles. In the agriculture systems of southern Asia, the continuous practice of conventional input-intensive cereal-dominated production has largely contributed to soil degradation, depletion of underground water resources, and reduced land and water productivity, ultimately jeopardizing sustainable food production. Given this, researchers emphasize the pivotal role of crop diversification including pulses in the system in order to conserve natural resources, foster soil health, and sustain crop productivity. Experimental f indings from diverse agro-ecologies provide evidence that the integration of pulses in CA not only contributes to enhanced agricultural sustainability but also holds the potential to address food security and nutrition challenges in an era marked by climate uncertainties and environmental degradation. Given the growing significance of pulses in CA, there is a pressing need for more systematic studies across diverse agro-regions to maximize the benefits of CA. This article highlights the important role of pulses in CA, focusing on its potential benefits pertaining to sustainable crop production, resource conservation and soil health.