Vegetos
(An International Journal of Plant Research & Biotechnology)
Crop diversity, soil quality and traditional management practices in a young aged shifting cultivation land of Tripura, Northeast India
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Research Articles | Published: 29 March, 2025
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Keywords: Crop composition, Soil nutrients properties, Preservation techniques, Management practices, Shifting cultivation
Abstract
Jhum or Shifting cultivation is a traditional farming system practiced by the indigenous people of Tripura. It is deeply embedded in the tribal psyche. As a result, the current study intends to investigate the plant diversity; soil profiles features, and management regimes of young-aged shifting cultivation land (SCL) in Tripuras hilly region. We chose 1–2-year-old moving agriculture plots for the study based on the accessibility and availability of fallow fields. Our findings revealed eight tree species belonging to 6 families which were stand in the plot of 35 crop species from 20 families. The dominant plant species in the system are Albizia lebbeck from tree category, while the Oryza sativa, Zea mays and Solanum melongena belongs to crop types. The Shannon index (H) of species diversity was highest (p < 0.001) in crop species (2.43), while tree species had the lowest diversity index of 1.98 (p < 0.001). Similarly, the highest value of richness, dominance and evenness indices were also discovered in crops species and the tree species have been showing the lowest values of these indices. Moisture content and soil organic carbon concentration showed a significant (p ≤ 0.05) growing trend in our young age of moving land. Still, no overall trend was observed in parameters like bulk density, pH, available nitrogen, and available phosphorus. Soil health in shifting cultivation deteriorates due to nutrient depletion, erosion, organic matter loss, compaction, acidification, and shortened fallow periods, all worsened by repeated cycles of cultivation and population pressure. Traditional management approaches have been documented in our current findings; however, scientific interventions are required to improve shifting fallow land. Nutrient status, water-soil management, and some growth tolerance species selection are some of the pioneer tactics that were developed first and are explored. It is also observed that some good management and conservation measures are practiced by the ethnic community of Tripura. Hence, it is very important to rethink about the existence and sustainable management of both the tradition as well as this traditional agricultural practice.
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Author Information
Department of Forestry & Biodiversity, Tripura University, Suryamaninagar, India