| Experiment code | 21.2.3.49 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Experiment Title | Comparative assessment of soil metabolite signatures in organic and conventional farms | ||
| Research Type | Departmental Research | ||
| Experiment Background | Soil is a crucial ecosystem that supports plant growth, regulates water cycles, and maintains biodiversity, with its health shaped by land management practices. Organic and conventional farming systems differ significantly in their impact on soil health. Understanding the biochemical differences between these systems is vital for promoting sustainable agriculture. Organic farming emphasizes natural inputs and biodiversity, while conventional farming relies on synthetic fertilizers and monoculture, resulting in distinct soil compositions and microbial communities. Soil metabolites, small organic compounds produced by microorganisms and plants, are key to nutrient cycling and serve as indicators of soil health. Analyzing these metabolites can provide insights into soil fertility and biological activity. Although organic practices enhance soil organic matter and microbial diversity, their specific effects on soil metabolite profiles are not well understood. Therefore, a study is proposed to perform a comparative assessment of soil metabolite signatures using untargeted metabolomics to identify and differentiate the metabolic profiles of soils from organically and conventionally managed farming systems, aiming to reveal key metabolic differences that reflect distinct management practices | ||
| Experiment Group | Natural Resource Management | ||
| Unit Type | (02)EDUCATION UNIT | ||
| Unit | (12)NAVINCHANDRA MAFATLAL COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE (NAVSARI) | ||
| Department | (223)Food Quality Testing Laboratory Navsari | ||
| BudgetHead | (303/12079/00)303/01/REG/04486 | ||
| Objective |
To compare soil metabolite profiles between organic and conventional farms using untargeted metabolomics |
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| Season | Not season specific | ||
| Location Unit Type | (02)EDUCATION UNIT | ||
| Location Unit | (12)NAVINCHANDRA MAFATLAL COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE (NAVSARI) | ||
| Location Department | (223)Food Quality Testing Laboratory Navsari | ||
| Plot No | Not applicable | ||
| PI Name | (NAU-EMP-2012-000333)SUSHEEL BRAJ MOHAN SINGH | ||
| PI Email | susheelsingh@nau.in | ||
| PI Mobile | 9998286581 | ||
| Year of Approval | 2025 | ||
| Commencement Year | 2025 | ||
| Completion Year | 2027 | ||
| Design of Experiment |
survey type study |
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| Crop Spacing (cm x cm) |
Not Applicable |
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| Gross Plot (m x m) | Not Applicable | ||
| Net Plot (m x m) | Not Applicable | ||
| Total Experiment Area (m2) | Not Applicable | ||
| Plot History Last Three Year |
Not Applicable |
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| Initial Soil Sample Analysis Report |
Not applicable |
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| Initial Soil Sample Analysis Report Attachment | Attachment Not Available! | ||
| Layout Plan |
Not Applicable |
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| Layout Plan Attachment | Attachment Not Available! | ||
| Treatment |
Selection of farms : 10 each of organic and conventional farms indulged in agricultural and horticulture based farming will be selected. Soil Sampling: Approx. 2.0 kg soil samples (5 random locations within each farm) will be collected twice (summer & Winter) in a year at depth (20-30 cm) to assess the vertical distribution of metabolites. The date with time and GPS location of each collected sample will be recorded. Collected soil samples will be stored in sterile containers and keep them at low temperatures until analysis. The requisite information pertaining to sample site, crop distribution, common agricultural practices etc will aso recorded Soil Chemical Analysis: Soil samples will be subjected to estimation of their pH, EC2.5 and Organic Carbon content Metabolite Extraction: (Song et al,2020) 1 g soil sample will be placed in a 5 ml Eppendorf (EP) tube, then 1 ml of methanol: H2O = 3:1 (v/v) and 1 ml of ethyl acetate will be added, and 10 μl of adonitol (0.5 mg/ml) will be used as internal standards. The samples will be homogenized, and then ultrasounded in ice water for 5 min. After that, the samples will be centrifuged at 12,000 rpm and 4°C for15 min, and the supernatants will be transferred into 5 ml EP tubes. Again, 1 ml of methanol:H2O=3:1(v/v)and1ml of ethyl acetate were added. The homogenization and centrifugation steps will be repeated, and all the supernatants will be combined and dried in a vacuum concentrator without heating. Then, 30 μl of methoxyamine hydrochloride (20 mg/ml in pyridine) was used to dissolve the samples with incubation at 80 °C for 30 min. |
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| Treatment Attachment | Attachment Not Available! | ||
| (NAU-EMP-2012-000333) SUSHEEL BRAJ MOHAN SINGH | susheelsingh@nau.in | 9998286581 | 20-01-2026 |
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| (NAU-EMP-2011-000044) ALPESHKUMAR NAROTTAMBHAI LAD | anlad@nau.in | 8128699058 | 01/03/2025 |
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| (NAU-EMP-2019-000537) NITIN VARSHNEY | nitin.caw@nau.in | 9157548912 | 01/03/2025 |
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