Interaction impact of biocompost on nutrient dynamics and relations with soil biota, carbon fractions index, societal value of CO2 equivalent and ecosystem services in the wheat-rice farming

This experiment aimed to understand the recycled industrial biocompost interaction with fertilizers doses on soil nutrient dynamics, soil organic carbon (SOC) fraction indexes, microbial population, positive ecosystem services, carbon dioxide (CO2) societal values and economy in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)–rice (Oryza sativa L.) production. Based on the field and lab data, a significant interaction was observed between the biocompost and fertilizer levels; the fertilizer doses (FD)3 × biocompost (BC)1 were observed 80.6 grain and 56.0% higher straw yield in the wheat-rice crops than FD0 × BC9. Based on the results of soil organic carbon (SOC), the treatment FD3 × BC1 was observed more very labile (5.06 g kg−1) and moderately labile (4.26 g kg−1) carbon (C) fractions. However, C liability and recalcitrant indexes were recorded as non-significant. Further, the interaction effects of FD3 × BC1 found 65.7% more CO2 sequestration over FD0 × BC9. In terms of microbial dynamics, at 45 days after sowing (DAS), the treatment FD3 × BC4 was found to be the highest soil bacteria (56.6 × 107), fungi (32.3 × 105), and actinomycetes (49.1 × 106 cfu g−1) population. Further, regarding ecosystem services, the FD3 × BC1 found a maximum of US$ 1236 and 322 ha−1 year−1 grain and straw-based ecosystem services, respectively. However, the treatment FD3 × BC1 observed the maximum societal value (US$ 2041 ha−1). In contrast, higher economic values of 77.9 and 138.8% gross and net returns were recorded in the FD3 × BC1 compared to FD0 × BC9 in the wheat-rice cropping sequence (WRCS), respectively. Therefore, the study's hypothesis was to know the impact of the biocompost with fertilizers doses to enhance the nutrient and microbial dynamics, increasing SOC fractions (active and passive) and pools, CO2 sequestration, and restoring the soil health in the WRCS.