Manure and Fertilizer Application Effects on Aggregate and Mineral Associated Organic Carbon in a Loamy Soil under Rice-Wheat System

The study was conducted to investigate the aggregate stability and distribution of organic carbon (C) in different-sized aggregates and mineral fractions in a loamy soil under rice-wheat system with continuous application of fertilizer nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (NPK), farmyard manure (FYM), N+FYM and NPK+FYM, compared with unfertilized control. Macro-aggregates comprised 37.1–49.3% of the total water-stable aggregates (WSAs), compared with 23.3–30.3% as micro-aggregates. Application of inorganic fertilizers and FYM significantly increased the proportion of macro-aggregates, which were linearly related to total organic C (TOC). Organic C concentration in coarse macro-aggregates (CMacA) was higher than the micro-aggregates (CMicA). Application of FYM significantly increased the concentration of organic C in different-sized aggregates and mineral fraction, compared with the unfertilized control. Averaged across treatments, mineral-associated C comprised 26% of TOC. Macro-aggregates, on an average, constituted 66–68% of C preservation capacity of WSA. The amount of TOC sequestered was higher when NPK+FYM was applied together.