International Journal of Environment and Climate Change

Cropping systems can influence various soil properties, with the extent and nature of these effects depending on factors such as crop rotation, nutrient management, and tillage practices. The rice–wheat cropping system is predominant in the Meerut region, the inclusion of legume and alternative cereal crops within this system may significantly influence various indicators of soil health, thereby affecting key soil functional processes. A comprehensive evaluation was conducted to assess the impact of various rice-based cropping systems on soil health and productivity indices. Soil health cards were developed for each system by analyzing key physical (bulk density and aggregate stability) and chemical (pH, available Fe, P, K, Zn, and organic carbon) parameters at two soil depths: 0–15 cm and 15–30 cm. Across all systems, soil health ratings ranged from low to medium. Surface soils generally showed better physical and organic matter conditions, while subsoils exhibited pronounced chemical limitations, particularly with respect to pH and available iron. Among the systems evaluated, rice–wheat–mung bean exhibited the highest surface soil health score (58.62), supported by favorable physical traits and high organic carbon. However, subsoil health declined sharply due to extremely low pH, Fe, and organic matter content. Conversely, the rice–white chickpea–mung bean system showed the highest subsoil score (59.00), with improved nutrient availability at depth despite persistent Fe and pH deficiencies. In terms of productivity indices, the rice–lentil–mung bean system outperformed all others, registering the highest system land use efficiency (87.43%), rice equivalent yield (112.71 q/ha), and system productivity (0.31 kg/ha/day). This was followed closely by the rice–white chickpea–mung bean system. The rice–mustard–mung bean system, despite its strong physical soil characteristics, recorded the lowest land use efficiency (76.75%) and relatively poor productivity indicators. In conclusion, while soil health constraints, particularly related to pH and micronutrients, persist across systems, diversified legume-inclusive rotations like rice–lentil–mung bean and rice–white chickpea–mung bean offer both improved soil resilience and higher productivity, making them promising models for sustainable intensification of rice-based cropping systems.