Long-term effects of intercropping and bio-litter recycling on soil biological activity and fertility status of sub-tropical soils

On-farm field experiments were carried out at two sites having 38- and 10-y ear-old orchard cropping systems under sub-tropical climatic regions to eva luate changes in organic carbon accumulation and chemical and microbiologic al properties of the soils. Under a system of different intercropped fruit trees, the cultivation of coconut (Cocos nucifera L.) intercropped with gua va (Psidium guajava L.) enhanced the soil microbial activity approximately 2-fold after 38 yrs over 10 yrs of the same intercropped system. Soil organ ic carbon increased from 3.4 to 7.8 and 2.4 to 6.2 g kg(-1) after 38 and 10 yrs, respectively, following the establishment of orchards. The increase w as attributed to greater recycling of bio-litters. Levels of dehydrogenase, phosphatase and soil microbial biomass under field conditions generally de pended more on the nature of the cropping system than on soil types. Simila rly, average carbon inputs of bio-litter to the soil in monocrop (0.98 Mg h a(-1) yr(-1)) was less than intercropped fruit trees (2.07 Mg ha(-1) yr(-1) ). The average level of soil microbial biomass carbon was 1158 kg ha(-1) (0 -0.15 m depth) and the organic carbon turnover rate was 8.5 yr(-1) after 38 yrs of intercropped fruit trees, which resulted in a lower ratio (1.81) of carbon inputs to soil microbial biomass carbon. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.