prof, nice question but in this field I am blank. I will wait for other specialists for their answers.

Wory not Husain , wait for some time , some excellent answers are at stake , its a matter of time.

There are certain very well defined goals of floor management ,irrespective annual or perennial field. These include: protection of soil from  rain water ,enhancement in aggregate stability, improvement in water infiltration and interruption in runoff pathway. During the floor management , some off the practices are commonly used viz., practices leading to increase in soil organic matter to have cascading effect on soil properties like   improvement in soil structure , aggregate stability , water holding capacity though mulches , composts , manures, soil amendments etc., practicing floor vegetation  and tillage operation at minimum coupled with contour farming .   I am enclosing an interesting PDF  for further reading .   

Very scintillating feedbacks Pierlorenzo about the ethics of an effective floor management . Whats your opinion , continuous use of microbial antagonists will only ward off the soil borne pathogens ?. My second quarry is , unless enough soil organic matter in soil is maintained , we will not be able to harness the better effects of  multiple microbial inoculation ?

I do agree with you Anil . the pivotal role in floor management is played by soil organic matter which will trigger the proliferation in microbial diversity to ensure better soil health resilience. Some of the points , you have raised are really worth considering while preparing for sustainable floor management . I appreciate your response.

Yes, I agree floor management and soil health management are inter linked. But let us know from our colleagues, what are the different methods of floor management ?

Thank you prof, yeah I just saw some useful one. Really excited.

Due to the excessive of the number of the world's population and limited natural resources to misuse by human selfishness and toward natural resources. This fundamental change in the management of soil for the purpose of increasing production. The soil health means the ability to work as a live system, and it requires the retention characteristics of chemical, biological and pollution free.

“Do you feel , floor management and soil health status are inter-linked?”

Thanks for sharing. Very good answers were already given.  It is a little far from my scientific area, but I am here to give my humble contribution, and I suppose that the answer is affirmative. As Pierlorenzo mentioned, that is the reason for the importance of the periods of rest, including seasonal, and crop rotation instead of having systematically intensive monoculture. Also problems of erosion due to superficial water flow that washes the soil are normally a relevant aspect, particularly in hilly regions with agriculture practice. There are traditional practices that have in consideration specifically these aspects. Continuous improvement and agriculture in large scale in contrast to agriculture of subsistence is fundamental. However, ignoring traditional knowledge accumulated along many years of practice gave already bad results in some cases. 

See the link

http://www.oisat.org/control_methods/cultural__practices/crop_rotation.html

Very interesting answer Antonio , appreciate your contribution . Sometimes , it really strikes very piercingly  when you read the wrong notion  stating and I quote :  continuous use of chemical fertilizers have led to some conspicuous changes in soil health  . Is this  really happening to soil  or is this the sole reason to vouch for introduction of wholesome concept like floor management ?.

Abhishek very impressive PDFs,  worth reading , we often get tugged with soil quality simply as the biology of soil , but I feel soil quality is something where soil physical , chemical and biological properties , in addition to crop rotation /cropping sequence backed up  by kind of management practices  ,are collectively involved . And , this is where floor management  jumps in , addressing not only the  soil fertility constraints but looks comprehensively about many of the soil borne pathogens. While doing so , let us not forget the decisive role of soil tillage as stressed upon  by Pierlorenzo. Barabara , you are right in your statement , I agree with you .

 I agree with you Anil Kumar , there have been some outstanding responses in such a short time . However , we still expect more revealing responses  from some of or learned colleagues. Let me add some more literature on these issues. Literature suggests four distinct methods of floor management systems. These include: Grass alleys between tree rows with vegetation free strips in tree rows; solid vegetation covers; total clear cultivation and mulches to smother weeds in the tree rows. In these systems , cover crops play a pivotal role. Likewise , there are distinct management systems for cover crops as well. These include: clean cultivation year round ;winter cover -summer cultivation ;winter cover -summer mowed and mowed permanent cover. Find some interesting PDFs for further reading  friends and your  onward feedback s .

Very intelligent question Dr Srivastava. I am more willing to receive comments about how floor management is different than conventional soil management? What are the key issues of difference or similarity?

I agree with you Dr Deka . When we talk of floor management , it more comprehensive development of soil as a service provider to crops , besides environmental safety and depletion of natural resource , quite unlike conventional soil management methodologies. I think , the guiding principles laid out by Pierlorenzo  and Anil Kumar seem to be excellently described.  . You can have a look at them  , but your question is very pertinent.  

What are the objectives of floor management and what are the objectives of soil management to sustain the better crop performance.

Friends , what is your opinion  about the effect  of long term application of herbicides on the soil microbial pool ?. Whether or not the beneficial microbes undergo any reorientation in their population?

Excellent PDFs Abhishek , so useful to our colleagues , they must read all the PDfs  loaded with so much information about the subject . We have a very wrong notion that chemical fertilizers reduce the soil microbial load. Infact , it is otherwise provided application of fertilizers is in balanced mode. Indiscriminate application of herbicides surely take their toll on the beneficial microbial population of soil. And if soil microbes are affected , for sure , soil fertility will undergo consequential changes .

Abhishek, throw some more lights on the utility of siderophores in relation to soil microorganisms as how they perform sieve functions to nutrilize the adverse effects of herbicides/fungicides ?

Sieve function  of soil as a function of soil microbes is a very well known phenomenon , since soil microbes act as scavenger and a strong sink for nutrients to be later delivered into the soil solution in an a more plant  assimilable form... However , it remains to be seen , whether or not , same mechanistic pathways are involved while interacting with herbicides/or fungicides?

I agree with you Dr Srivastava. The soil microbes not only play the role in floor management but their sieve action is very important to pump out the adverse soil microbes which are otherwise not contributing in soil aggregate stability.

Sieve function of soil , we have discussed earlier also . Dr Hepperly gave a very nice account of the subject . Yes , we do agree with your comments and Dr Deka as well . This is the area , perhaps lesser researched  with regard to floor management .

In terms of the floor function we might want to call Hippocrates and his Medical Oath that First do no harm . In an agricultural system have we understood what traffic is doing in our fields? Do we have pathways which can target and prevent its effects? Do we know what compacted areas have developed?  If we cannot say yes enthusiastically to all these we have work to do.

Much of the weed issues our agriculture faces can be overcome with floor management this depends on understanding allelopathic and competitive interactions. Weeding is the principle constraints of the majority of low input farmers. Weed suppression is a principle need for our floor functions.

In terms of our floors I believe the use legume covers can also be particularly important since N fertilization can be a leading contributor to acidification and has high greenhouse gas dependence. Also in relationship to coverage do we have a mixture which will favor mycorrhizal components. Many farmers cannot capitalize fertilizer or pest control inputs.

In the strategy to confront the low productivity of African grain production. Witch weed and stem borers are being confronted with Desmodium legume interplanted cover crop. The biological integrated system is called push pull pest control. Its legume component weans the cereal grain for need for added fertilizer nitrogen and greatly reduces insecticide and herbicide dependence. Without the additions of Nitrogen and pesticides the greenhouse gas inputs is lowered by more than 50% and the biological solutions has better sustainability as it does not dependent on synthetic chemistry which pests become resistant to.

Paul, how we will be able to evaluate such complex system. What kind of sustainability parameters, you would suggest?

Dear Sikha Deka, To evaluate an agricultural system it is good to start with fossil fuel footprint of the system. Then it is imperative to look at the yield of the system and its economics. Finally we need to have assessment of the impacts on the soil and water over time by a system of monitoring the baseline with periodic continued measurement. The system should be able to sustain and improve itself from these measurements. Unfortunately except in a handful of cases this long term concept has not be used. The Rodale Institute Farming Systems trial and Swiss Biodynamic Agriculture trial are examples of some of these attempts to track systematic biological agriculture over a long term. The importance of Rodale work is that it proves these system can be sustainable, regenerative, energetically, economically and environmentally favorable when appropriately managed. The Rodale System is a diverse mixed farming system which has centered on legume cover crops in rotation with no synthetic inputs and produces yields equal to conventional farms in average rainfall years and superior in drought years when improved soil organic matter mitigate drought. In these systems lysimeters measure the improvement in water drainage and quality through the system.

Dr Paul, very informative response. What is your opinion about the different components of conservation agriculture followed under closed organic agriculture versus conventional agriculture or rainfed versus irrigated agriculture ? 

Dear Parameshwar Shirgure,

I believe whether we talk about organic, conventional or conservation agriculture we have been amiss in looking below our feet.....what is going on in our soils?

The ability of our farmers to feed the next generation depends on improving soil while improving the productivity and agriculture will become more intensive in all types of farming. I think this is unavoidable.

 Here's  some problems and issues.

How many farmers and agronomists can diagnose the problems with soil compaction?

Or how many can interpret a soil profile?

How many walk with a spade to use as practical diagnostic tool?

How many can interpret a soil test?

When we look at soil science the chemical aspects have taken priority. Unfortunately chemistry will not resolve many of soil issues. In fact if we look at the power of chemistry compared to biology I believe biology can out compete the chemical solutions to basic problems.

When we use biological nitrogen fixation as a key feature of rotations and add back organic amendments integrate animals with crops we resolve issues through systematic solutions. 

The main role of chemistry is to provide a foundation for biology to work unimpeded.

While I believe in no till agriculture I also believe tillage is very useful as tool. At the Rodale Institute organic management with full tillage can outcompete conventional no till for end result on soil Carbon and Nitrogen improvement for instance.

Tillage is very important for liming which is critically limiting is so many soil situation. 

The report card for farmers and agronomists need be is the soil resource in good condition and can it be improved by our efforts. We cannot farm at the expense of our soil water and air resources. 

We will continue to increase irrigation but this needs to be done while improving our soil for it is soil that allows the capture and recycling of the water. Traditionally irrigation has been very wasteful and we will need to continue to do more with less. 

Some thoughts>

Some excellent thoughts Paul . I entirely agree with you . We direly miss the diagnosis and interpretation part of our soil-plant relationship , while practicing agriculture over   the years . Soil physics, chemistry and ecology/biochemistry have to inter-link with each other and compliment . Infact , soil report card /Health Card started by Cornell University in 1960s , we still could could not develop that concept to find its large scale use in managing our soil resources. 

What is the role of residue cycling in maintaining the soil health for better floor management and crop response ? 

Very valid point , you have raised Dr Shirgure , unfortunately we do not attach much significance to such age old practices , which has so much of profound effect on  sustaining not only soil fertility , but sustaining the crop performance as well. 

Some mind refreshing attachments Abhishek , hope everyon elikes them all...

Soil enzymes are used as biological indices of soil fertility under different tillage practices. Phosphatases are inducible enzymes excreted by plant roots and soil organisms, which can be stimulated  by P starvation. Therefore, phosphatase activity has regarded as an important factor in maintaining and controlling mineralization rate of soil or regarded as an important factor in maintaining and controlling mineralization rate of soil organic P and a good indicator of P deficiency  The measurements, of phosphatase enzyme activity performed during three years of study,were significantly lowering the soil under winter wheat grown in the conventional-monoculture farming system,in comparison to organic system.The significantly lower phosphatase enzyme activity in monoculture soil was related to lower microbial biomass carbon in the soil compared to organic system .At Hisar, itb is  reported that addition of N to residue to have a C:N ratio of 40:1 accelerated residue decomposition. An amount of 61 and 58.7% of incorporated sunflower residues was decomposed in 12 weeks when residues(C:N ratio73.1) were added at1.5and3.0t/ha, respectively. The extent of decomposition increased to 66.6 and 61.1%when residues were incorporated at1.5 and 3.0t/ha, respectively,along with Napplication to adjust C:N ratio of residues to 40:1.Microbial biomassC increased with residues as well as N application up to 3 weeks and then it declined.

Dehydrogenase activity during decomposition of sunflower residues was higher in first week after that it declined. At Akola,Maharashtra, it is reported that incubation of soil with 1% organic residues of cotton stalk, safflower straw, sorghum stubble, soybean stover, wheat straw, sugarcane trash, groundnut husk, sunflower straw, green gram stover, Parthenium with seed,grass complex with seed, and Xanthium with seed mixed showed wide variation in the rate of decomposition,C:N ratio and microbial population at different intervals.Carbon dioxide evolution was maximum during the first 15 days and it decreased thereafter. The rate of decomposition was the highest for groundnut husk as compared to other residues. After incubation for 30 days, the lowest C:N ratio was observed in grass complex.Fungal, bacterial,and actinomycetes population sincreased at 30 days of incubation. Bacteria were predominant over fungi and actinomycetes.

We concentrate very less on changes in soil enzymes...

How does release of nutrients in green manure crops match with different critical growth stages of main crop. This is the major gap in utilizing the outcome of the floor management .

The generation of soil metabolism follows a cycle of the energy flow through the production system. When the temperature and rainfall are at a maximum the biological activity with increase accordingly.  The long day high temperature period can also correspond with rainy periods as at the end of tropical dry season or the temperate zone spring. Meditterean climates are somewhat different with moisture skewed to fall and winter. Biological activity reaches an optimum at the period of longest day length and temperature which is also the maximize in transferred sunlight through photosynthesis. When we increase the soil organic matter reservior the peak and total activity of soil biotia is maximized. In the case of mobilizing soil Nitrogen this is dependent on soil Carbon levels. While mobilization on an annual basis is 1 to 3% of the total soil Nitrogen when Carbon is abundant more Nitrogen is mobilized. Soil organic matter stimulates high content and percent mobilization and the need for Nitrogen need not be a biological limitation if agricultural systems optimize biological fixation and manage to increase soil organic matter. Water is many times the most limiting factor for productivity and the amount of water storable and recycled is dependent largely soil organic matter. I agree with our colleagues on the nice job Anoop does providing information and explanations of many not so simple concepts. 

Thanks Paul for an excellent response , so thoughtful and so mind freshing , I am providing some mor e reading material for all of you colleagues. Here it goes: 

Fruit trees in orchards of the mid-Atlantic region of the United States are often planted in vegetation-free rows alternating with grass alleys. Grass managed to suppress weeds but to compete minimally with fruit trees may be an alternative to herbicide and tillage. This research was conducted in the greenhouse and field to assess five different grasses that may suppress weeds without reducing yield of fruit trees. In the greenhouse with high seeding rates, red fescue competed more effectively than did chewings fescue, tall fescue, and perennial ryegrass with three weeds (damesrocket, cornflower, and chicory). However, with reduced seeding rates, similar to rates used in the field, grass competitiveness with weeds was similar between red fescue, tall fescue, and perennial ryegrass. Similar results were obtained during a 4-yr field experiment; roughstalk bluegrass competed least effectively with weeds but the other four grasses provided similar weed suppression—generally providing as much weed suppression as traditional herbicides. None of the candidate grasses significantly reduced yields of 10-yr-old apple and peach trees, although fruit size was affected by some grasses. The grass that was least suppressive of yield, roughstalk bluegrass, was the least effective in controlling weeds. Annual mowing in combination with four of the grasses tested is one option to manage the orchard floor with reduced herbicides, but fruit size may decrease.( Source :  Thomas J. Tworkoski and D. Michael Glenn , 2012.Weed Technology 26(3):559-565.  doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1614/WT-D-11-00044.1 Weed Suppression by Grasses for Orchard Floor Management).

Each of the alternative orchard floor management practices  has advantages and disadvantages. Environmental conditions and crop determine the orchard floor management systems that may be successful in a given location. Regardless of which system is used, attention must be given to the factors of weed suppression, soil stability, irrigation requirements and pest dynamics, to ensure a given orchard floor management system enhances yield of marketable fruit, tree health, and improves the orchard environment.

Some PDFs enclosed for further reading ....

Floor management is nothing but maintaining the soil fertility, reduce weed growth and better biological properties of the soil. Is it possible to maintain the floor management of soil through microbial inoculations ?

Let us also discuss under what condition we should use cover crops as a part of floor management ? 

Even in arid zones periodic rainfall can be a mixed blessing. Often our orchard health is related to having insufficient drainage. For this reason,  I prefer for orchard a raised bed system where the inter row activity can be mechanized. For obtaining the cover the inter row would be planted with mixed grass legume which can be perennial and mowed. The raised bank could be based on the use of recyclable organic fabric to ensure initial control of the orchard. Priority for compost is in the planting hole and for drip line in the developing orchard tree. The recycling of mowiing in the interrows will contribute to improved soil characteristics and biology as well as targeted use of organic compost amendment. The use of electrial fencing can be employed to allow the interrow strips to be grazed by small ruminants with would be valuable for their milk and manure which could be the source of compost for orchard nutrition. Mixed plant and animal systems are best suited for the improvement of soil resources and a good way to have an agricultural system which can sequester soil carbon and nitrogen so critical for reversing our climate change issues.