Adaptation Mechanisms of Winter Pulses Through Rhizospheric Modification in Mild-Alkaline Soil

The root induced changes in soil chemical and biological properties of five winter pulses (rajmash, fieldpea, lathyrus, lentil, and chickpea) were examined in mild-alkaline soil (pH ~ 7.8). Rhizospheric acidification was common in all pulses, and chickpea resulted in maximum reduction in rhizospheric pH in (4.8%). The resulted acidification substantially influenced the rhizospheric nutrient availability and scale of increase was highest for available-P. The relative changes for different nutrients followed the sequence P (37.4%) > Zn (35.8%) > Fe (32.4%) > N (18.4%) > S (17.5%). However, the available K did not differ significantly. Soil biological indicators like microbial biomass carbon (C) and fluorescein diacetate were enhanced by 63–243.5 and 9.8–36.3%, respectively over the bulk soil. Likewise, improvement in soil organic C was also evident. The rhizospheric soil had higher passive C-pool indicating pulses can improve soil resistant C-fractions, which persists for a longer time. Among the pulses, chickpea had the maximum rhizospheric alteration and thus distinguished as most potential winter pulse crop under the mild-alkaline soil.