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Research article · 2025 · Full text

International Journal of Agriculture and Food Science

Artificial intelligence for enhancing soil organic matter, nutrient cycling and water productivity: A comprehensive review of soil-health-led intensification approaches

Vineet KumarRK NareshS. P. S. RathiHarshit SharmaPriya Bharti

Volume 7(12) · Pages 114–128 · DOI: 10.33545/2664844x.2025.v7.i12b.1032 ↗

Research areasSoil Geostatistics and MappingSoil Carbon and Nitrogen DynamicsSmart Agriculture and AI

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Abstract

Author-written

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has emerged as a transformative force in modern agriculture, offering unprecedented opportunities to enhance soil organic matter (SOM) dynamics, nutrient cycling efficiency, and water productivity. Soil health-led intensification the strategy of boosting agricultural productivity while restoring and sustaining ecological functions requires timely, precise, and spatially explicit information on soil processes. Traditional soil monitoring methods are often labor-intensive, infrequent, and unable to capture the complexity of interactions among soil organic matter, nutrients, microbes, and water. This comprehensive review synthesizes advancements in AI-driven approaches that support the assessment, prediction, and management of SOM decomposition, nutrient mineralization-immobilization patterns, and soil-water interactions. Machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) enable continuous interpretation of multisource datasets, including remote sensing imagery, proximal soil sensors, and Internet-of-Things (IoT) networks. These models offer enhanced accuracy in predicting soil carbon turnover, nitrogen and phosphorus cycling, and greenhouse gas fluxes under diverse management scenarios. AI-enabled digital soil mapping has significantly improved the spatial resolution of soil organic carbon (SOC) inventories, facilitating the identification of carbon-depleted zones and guiding site-specific soil restoration strategies. Moreover, AI-based decision-support systems integrate crop growth models with SOM and moisture dynamics to optimize residue management, cover cropping, and organic amendments for improving nutrient use efficiency and soil biological activity. Water productivity, AI techniques such as convolutional neural networks (CNNs), random forests, and recurrent neural networks (RNNs) have enhanced real-time soil moisture estimation, evapotranspiration forecasting, and irrigation scheduling. By linking AI-processed hydrological data with SOM-mediated water retention properties, farmers can adopt precision irrigation practices that reduce water losses while maintaining crop yields. The integration of AI with conservation agriculture, precision fertilization, and climate-smart management further supports the synergistic improvement of SOM stabilization and water-use efficiency. AI-driven soil health innovations represent a pivotal pathway toward sustainable intensification. By enabling precise management of SOM, nutrient cycling, and water resources, AI offers the potential to enhance productivity, resilience, and environmental sustainability across diverse agro-ecosystems.

Summary

Source-checked

Plain-language reading of the full paper, prepared with AI and checked against the text. Each point links to the authors' own words.

  1. Why it matters

    • Soil health is essential for sustainable agricultural intensification because it integrates the physical, chemical, and biological capacities needed to maintain productivity and regulate nutrient and water cycles. View evidence ↗

      Why it matters

      Soil health is essential for sustainable agricultural intensification because it integrates the physical, chemical, and biological capacities needed to maintain productivity and regulate nutrient and water cycles.

      In the paper's own words

      “Soil health the integrated physical, chemical and biological capacity of soil to sustain productivity, regulate water and nutrient cycles, and provide ecosystem services is central to sustainable intensification of agriculture.”

      Page 1

      Found in: Introduction

      Read it in the full textOpen PDF at page 1 ↗
    • Conventional soil monitoring is limited by being labor-intensive and infrequent, which prevents it from capturing complex interactions between soil organic matter, water, nutrients, and microbes. View evidence ↗

      Why it matters

      Conventional soil monitoring is limited by being labor-intensive and infrequent, which prevents it from capturing complex interactions between soil organic matter, water, nutrients, and microbes.

      In the paper's own words

      “Traditional soil monitoring methods are often labor-intensive, infrequent, and unable to capture the complexity of interactions among soil organic matter, nutrients, microbes, and water.”

      Page 1

      Found in: Introduction

      Read it in the full textOpen PDF at page 1 ↗
    • The steady decline of soil organic matter (SOM) in global croplands has led to a loss of soil structure and water-holding capacity, reducing yield stability and resilience to climate extremes. View evidence ↗

      Why it matters

      The steady decline of soil organic matter (SOM) in global croplands has led to a loss of soil structure and water-holding capacity, reducing yield stability and resilience to climate extremes.

      In the paper's own words

      “global croplands have experienced steady declines in soil organic matter (SOM) and associated loss of structure, nutrient buffering and water-holding capacity, which undermines yield stability and resilience to climate extremes.”

      Page 1

      Found in: Introduction

      Read it in the full textOpen PDF at page 1 ↗
  2. The question

    • The review aims to synthesize how artificial intelligence (AI) can be used to assess, predict, and manage soil organic matter decomposition, nutrient cycling, and soil-water interactions. View evidence ↗

      The question

      The review aims to synthesize how artificial intelligence (AI) can be used to assess, predict, and manage soil organic matter decomposition, nutrient cycling, and soil-water interactions.

      In the paper's own words

      “This comprehensive review synthesizes advancements in AI-driven approaches that support the assessment, prediction, and management of SOM decomposition, nutrient mineralization-immobilization patterns, and soil-water interactions.”

      Page 1

      Found in: Introduction

      Read it in the full textOpen PDF at page 1 ↗
  3. What they did

    • The reviewed AI approaches utilize machine learning and deep learning to interpret data from remote sensing, proximal sensors, and IoT networks. View evidence ↗

      What they did

      The reviewed AI approaches utilize machine learning and deep learning to interpret data from remote sensing, proximal sensors, and IoT networks.

      In the paper's own words

      “Machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) enable continuous interpretation of multisource datasets, including remote sensing imagery, proximal soil sensors, and Internet-of-Things (IoT) networks.”

      Page 1

      Found in: Introduction

      Read it in the full textOpen PDF at page 1 ↗
    • Specific AI architectures, including convolutional neural networks (CNNs), random forests, and recurrent neural networks (RNNs), are used for real-time moisture estimation and irrigation scheduling. View evidence ↗

      What they did

      Specific AI architectures, including convolutional neural networks (CNNs), random forests, and recurrent neural networks (RNNs), are used for real-time moisture estimation and irrigation scheduling.

      In the paper's own words

      “AI techniques such as convolutional neural networks (CNNs), random forests, and recurrent neural networks (RNNs) have enhanced real-time soil moisture estimation, evapotranspiration forecasting, and irrigation scheduling.”

      Page 1

      Found in: • Combined practices often outperform single interventions:

      Read it in the full textOpen PDF at page 1 ↗
  4. What they found

    • A global meta-analysis found that including cover crops in rotations led to a mean soil organic carbon (SOC) increase of 15.5% and a sequestration rate of approximately 0.56 Mg C ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹. View evidence ↗

      What they found

      A global meta-analysis found that including cover crops in rotations led to a mean soil organic carbon (SOC) increase of 15.5% and a sequestration rate of approximately 0.56 Mg C ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹.

      In the paper's own words

      “Mean SOC increase of 15.5% (95% CI 13.8-17.3%). Mean Sequestration rate ~ 0.56 Mg C ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹.”

      Page 4

      Found in: • Combined practices often outperform single interventions:

      Read it in the full textOpen PDF at page 4 ↗
    • Cover crops increased overall SOC by ~12%, with the strongest response seen in microbial biomass carbon (+33%) and the weakest in mineral-associated organic carbon (+7%). View evidence ↗

      What they found

      Cover crops increased overall SOC by ~12%, with the strongest response seen in microbial biomass carbon (+33%) and the weakest in mineral-associated organic carbon (+7%).

      In the paper's own words

      “Overall, SOC increased by ~12%. Among SOC fractions: microbial biomass carbon (MBC) +33%, dissolved organic carbon (DOC) +18%, particulate organic carbon (POC) +15%, light-fraction organic carbon (LFOC) +14%, short-term mineralizable C +10%, and mineral-associated organic carbon (MAOC) +7%.”

      Page 4

      Found in: Table 1

      Read it in the full textOpen PDF at page 4 ↗
    • In conservation agriculture, the combination of manure and mineral nitrogen produced the highest SOC gains, reaching approximately 41.7%. View evidence ↗

      What they found

      In conservation agriculture, the combination of manure and mineral nitrogen produced the highest SOC gains, reaching approximately 41.7%.

      In the paper's own words

      “Manure + (or + mineral N) led to highest SOC gains (~ 20.7%, CI 15.2-27.1); manure + mineral-N even higher (~ 41.7%, CI 31.0-52.8).”

      Page 4

      Found in: Table 1

      Read it in the full textOpen PDF at page 4 ↗
    • In tropical and subtropical regions, biochar application resulted in the largest SOC stock increase (~25.38%), outperforming conservation tillage and cover cropping. View evidence ↗

      What they found

      In tropical and subtropical regions, biochar application resulted in the largest SOC stock increase (~25.38%), outperforming conservation tillage and cover cropping.

      In the paper's own words

      “Biochar application associated with largest SOC stock increase (~ 25.38%), followed by conservation tillage (~18.81%) and cover cropping (~15.8%).”

      Page 4

      Found in: Fundamentals: SOM, nutrient cycling, and water productivity SOM and soil function

      Read it in the full textOpen PDF at page 4 ↗
    • An AI-based precision fertilization system achieved fertilizer savings of 18-27% and increased yields by 4-11% across various agro-ecological zones. View evidence ↗

      What they found

      An AI-based precision fertilization system achieved fertilizer savings of 18-27% and increased yields by 4-11% across various agro-ecological zones.

      In the paper's own words

      “Across multiple agro-ecological zones, their system achieved fertilizer savings of 18-27% and yield increases of 4-11%.”

      Page 6

      Found in: • Combined practices often outperform single interventions:

      Read it in the full textOpen PDF at page 6 ↗
    • AI-driven irrigation scheduling integrated with sensors can reduce agricultural water use by 20-50% without compromising crop yields. View evidence ↗

      What they found

      AI-driven irrigation scheduling integrated with sensors can reduce agricultural water use by 20-50% without compromising crop yields.

      In the paper's own words

      “Krishnan et al., (2022) [15] show that sensor-integrated AI scheduling can reduce water use by 20-50% while sustaining yields.”

      Page 12

      Found in: • Combined practices often outperform single interventions:

      Read it in the full textOpen PDF at page 12 ↗
    • Significant gains in stable soil organic carbon pools typically require long-term adoption of management practices, often taking 5 years or more to emerge. View evidence ↗

      What they found

      Significant gains in stable soil organic carbon pools typically require long-term adoption of management practices, often taking 5 years or more to emerge.

      In the paper's own words

      “Many meta-analyses and long-term field studies indicate that management practices (cover crops, CA, biochar, etc.) show significant SOC gains only after multiple years (often ≥ 5 years).”

      Page 5

      Found in: • Combined practices often outperform single interventions:

      Read it in the full textOpen PDF at page 5 ↗
  5. What it means

    • The authors conclude that AI has transformative potential to improve soil organic matter, nutrient cycling, and water productivity within soil-health-led intensification frameworks. View evidence ↗

      What it means

      The authors conclude that AI has transformative potential to improve soil organic matter, nutrient cycling, and water productivity within soil-health-led intensification frameworks.

      In the paper's own words

      “AI holds transformative potential for enhancing SOM, nutrient cycling, and water productivity under soil-health-led intensification frameworks.”

      Page 14

      Found in: Conclusions

      Read it in the full textOpen PDF at page 14 ↗
    • The reliability of AI predictions is currently constrained by gaps in ground-truth data, sensor inaccuracies, non-representative training sets, and difficulties in transferring models across different agroecological zones. View evidence ↗

      What it means

      The reliability of AI predictions is currently constrained by gaps in ground-truth data, sensor inaccuracies, non-representative training sets, and difficulties in transferring models across different agroecological zones.

      In the paper's own words

      “Gaps in ground-truth soil data, inconsistencies in sensor accuracy, limited representativeness of training datasets, and model transferability issues across agroecological zones constrain the reliability of AI predictions.”

      Page 14

      Found in: Conclusions

      Read it in the full textOpen PDF at page 14 ↗

Visual summary

3 visuals

Illustrations explain the paper; charts are replotted from the paper's own table values.

AI-generated illustration
AI-generated conceptual illustration (Agricultural soil with integrated IoT sensors and satellite monitoring). It explains the idea and does not show study data.↗ Enlarge
AI Data Integration Flow
AI-generated conceptual illustration (Agricultural soil with integrated IoT sensors and satellite monitoring). It explains the idea and does not show study data.

AI-generated conceptual illustration (Agricultural soil with integrated IoT sensors and satellite monitoring). It explains the idea and does not show study data.

Open full-size image ↗

AI Data Integration Flow

AI-generated conceptual illustration (Agricultural soil with integrated IoT sensors and satellite monitoring). It explains the idea and does not show study data.

View source evidence ↗
Replotted from source data
Replotted from Table 4 (page 9) of the original paper. Every bar is the paper's own table value.↗ Enlarge
3.: Haryana (Karnal) vs Punjab (Ludhiana) vs Western U.P. (Meerut) vs Rajasthan (Bharatpur)
Replotted from Table 4 (page 9) of the original paper. Every bar is the paper's own table value.

Replotted from Table 4 (page 9) of the original paper. Every bar is the paper's own table value.

Open full-size image ↗

3.: Haryana (Karnal) vs Punjab (Ludhiana) vs Western U.P. (Meerut) vs Rajasthan (Bharatpur)

Replotted from Table 4 (page 9) of the original paper. Every bar is the paper's own table value.

View source evidence ↗
Replotted from source data
Replotted from Table 4 (page 9) of the original paper. Every bar is the paper's own table value.↗ Enlarge
4.: Haryana (Karnal) vs Punjab (Ludhiana) vs Western U.P. (Meerut) vs Rajasthan (Bharatpur)
Replotted from Table 4 (page 9) of the original paper. Every bar is the paper's own table value.

Replotted from Table 4 (page 9) of the original paper. Every bar is the paper's own table value.

Open full-size image ↗

4.: Haryana (Karnal) vs Punjab (Ludhiana) vs Western U.P. (Meerut) vs Rajasthan (Bharatpur)

Replotted from Table 4 (page 9) of the original paper. Every bar is the paper's own table value.

View source evidence ↗

Figures & tables

From the original paper
Diagrammatic representation of the overview of soil health assessmentFigure 1Page 3Summary of Studies on Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) and Carbon Pool Changes under Various Agricultural Practices andTable 1Page 4Rice (Northwest India): AI-Derived Nutrient Cycling & Soil HealthTable 1Page 7Wheat (Northwest India): AI-Derived Nutrient Cycling & Soil HealthTable 2Page 7Sugarcane (Northwest India): AI-Based Nutrient Cycling & ProductivityTable 3Page 8Sugarcane (Northwest India): AI-Based Nutrient Cycling & ProductivityTable 3Page 8Mustard (Northwest India): AI-Derived Nutrient Cycling & Soil HealthTable 4Page 9Mustard (Northwest India): AI-Derived Nutrient Cycling & Soil HealthTable 4Page 9Potato (Northwest India): AI-Derived Nutrient Cycling & Soil HealthTable 5Page 10Potato (Northwest India): AI-Derived Nutrient Cycling & Soil HealthTable 5Page 10Pulses (Northwest India): AI-Derived Nutrient Cycling & Soil HealthTable 6Page 11
FULL TEXT Original article · reflowed for reading

Introduction

Soil health the integrated physical, chemical and biological capacity of soil to sustain productivity, regulate water and nutrient cycles, and provide ecosystem services is central to sustainable intensification of agriculture. Yet global croplands have experienced steady declines in soil organic matter (SOM) and associated loss of structure, nutrient buffering and water-holding capacity, which undermines yield stability and resilience to climate extremes. Framing intensification around restoring soil health therefore reframes productivity goals: not simply "more output per hectare" but "more output from healthier soil" through practices that rebuild SOM and the soil biota that drive nutrient cycling and water productivity (Fausak et al.). The rapid advancements in Articial Intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT) have signicantly transformed soil health monitoring and restoration practices. These technologies have facilitated real-time, continuous monitoring of soil conditions, enabling farmers and researchers to gain critical insights into soil parameters such as moisture levels, pH balance, nutrient content, and temperature. This integration has led to data-driven decision-making, optimizing agricultural practices and enhancing crop yields. Traditional soil health assessment methods have often been labour-intensive, time-consuming, and reliant on periodic soil sampling and laboratory analysis. These approaches, though effective, fail to provide real-time data crucial for proactive agricultural management. The emergence of IoT-enabled sensors and AI-driven predictive analytics has revolutionized the field by offering instantaneous feedback and actionable insights. Artificial intelligence (AI) and allied data-science tools (machine learning, deep learning, and sensor fusion) are transforming how soil scientists measure, monitor and manage SOM, nutrient dynamics and soil water. Recent reviews demonstrate that AI methods can integrate heterogeneous inputs proximal and satellite remote sensing, hyperspectral and vis-NIR spectra, in-situ IoT sensors, terrain and climatic covariates, and laboratory assays to map soil organic carbon (SOC) and moisture at high spatial resolution, predict mineralization and nutrient availability, and drive decision support for precision fertilization and irrigation scheduling (Awais et al., 2023; Zayani et al., 2023) [2,13] . These tools substantially reduce the time and cost of soil characterization and permit near-real-time, spatially explicit management recommendations that align inputs with crop demand. Soil organic matter and SOC mapping, machine learning models (random forests, gradient boosting, deep neural networks) trained on combined laboratory spectra and multitemporal Sentinel imagery have produced robust SOC predictions across contrasting soils and management systems (Zayani et al., 2023) [13] . Importantly, these hybrid approaches improve predictive skill by fusing spectral information with non-spectral covariates (topography, landuse, climate), enabling scalable monitoring of SOM trends that are essential for evaluating soil-health-led intensification interventions such as cover cropping, reduced tillage and organic amendments. Where traditional soil surveys are sparse or infrequent, AI-driven mapping supports targeted sampling and verification, making carbon and nutrient monitoring operational at landscape scales. Beyond mapping, AI is increasingly applied to model the processes that link SOM to nutrient cycling and water productivity. Predictive models can learn empirical relationships between SOM pools, microbial indicators, moisture regimes and mineralization rates to forecast inorganic nutrient availability and greenhouse-gas tradeoffs under varying management. Coupled sensor networks and AI analytics also enable closed-loop irrigation systems that maintain optimal soil moisture for microbial activity and nutrient uptake while minimizing deep percolation losses thereby improving water productivity (crop per unit water) and synchronizing nutrient supply with crop demand. These applied advances are well summarized in recent reviews that assess AI and machine-learning benefits for soil analysis, sensor fusion, and smart irrigation decision systems (Awais et al., 2023) [2] . Soil-health-led intensification seeks to raise yields while rebuilding SOM and improving ecosystem services. Studies synthesizing the mechanisms by which SOM improves structure, water retention and nutrient buffering demonstrate that practices increasing organic inputs rotating with cover crops, integrating manures/composts and lowering tillage intensity strengthen soil structure and sequester carbon, but their outcomes vary by soil type and context (Hatano, 2024; Krupek et al., 2022) [8,10] . AI tools can accelerate the tailoring of these practices to local conditions by predicting where particular interventions will most effectively increase SOM, reduce nutrient loss and boost water productivity enabling precision intensification that is both productive and restorative.

Fundamentals: SOM, nutrient cycling, and water productivity SOM and soil function

Soil organic matter (SOM) is one of the most vital constituents of the soil, forming the backbone of soil health and fertility SOM is a complex mixture of plant and animal materials in varying stages of decomposition, microbes, and the substances they synthesize in the soil (Lehmann and Kleber, 2020) [9] . It plays a key role in numerous soil functions, contributing to soil structure, nutrient cycling, and water retention, among other things (Janzen). The importance of SOM in agriculture cannot be overemphasized. In addition to improving soil structure and enhancing nutrient and water retention, SOM plays a crucial role in supporting a rich and diverse soil biota (Postma-Blaauw et al.,). SOM (or soil organic carbon, SOC, as a common measurable proxy) controls cation exchange capacity, aggregate stability, microbial habitats, and water-holding capacity. Changes in SOM reflect management and influence nutrient mineralization rates and water availability to crops key levers in soil-health led intensification. ). Residue return alone (vs conventional) also improved SOC; mineral-N alone had smaller effect (~9%). Gains more pronounced at 0-15 cm and 0-30 cm depths. Soil organic carbon is affected by organic amendments, conservation tillage, and cover cropping in organic farming systems: A metaanalysis (Crystal-Ornelas, Thapa & Tully 2021) [4] Organic farming systems globally BMPs: organic amendments (compost, FYM), conservation tillage, cover cropping Depth weighted SOC increased by 18%, microbial biomass carbon (MBC) by 30% (on average). Within BMPs: organic amendments gave ~24% SOC increase, conservation tillage ~14%. Cover cropping effect on SOC was not large overall, but significant when maintained ≥ 5 years -indicating time-lag in SOC response. • Type of practice influences magnitude and stability of SOC gains: Among interventions: biochar application often yields high gains (notably in tropic/subtropic meta-analysis and Indian RA meta-analysis). Organic amendments (manure, compost), residue retention, and conservation tillage also contribute meaningfully, but their effect size varies with depth, soil type, climate, and combination with other practices. E.g., manure + mineral N in conservation agriculture gave higher SOC gains than residue retention alone.

• SOC fractions respond differently: Labile and microbial carbon fractions (MBC, DOC, and POC) tend to respond faster and more strongly than more stable pools like mineral-associated organic carbon (MAOC). This suggests that early indicators of soil health improvement may come from changes in these fractions rather than bulk SOC. • Soil type, texture, climate, and initial conditions modulate response: Fine-textured soils, medium to fine grain soils, soils in certain climatic zones, and soils with low initial SOC tend to show greater relative gains. Meta-analyses often highlight significant variation across soil orders, climates, and agro-ecological contexts.

• Combined practices often outperform single interventions:

Combining biochar + residue retention + conservation tillage, or layering organic amendments with CA, tends to produce better SOC gains than any single practice alone. This aligns with the philosophy of integrative soil health-led intensification. • Regional evidence (e.g. from India) supports RA/CA relevance in diverse agro-climatic zones: The 2025 meta-analysis across India's agro-ecologies shows that RA practices particularly biochar, FYM, green manure have robust SOC gains over time, making them relevant for tropic / subtropic smallholder farming systems.

Soil organic matter is the cornerstone of soil health and the central target for soil health-led intensification. Enhancing SOM through integrated management including residues, cover crops, organic amendments, conservation tillage, and crop diversification improves soil structure, nutrient cycling, water retention, and microbial activity. AI tools, remote sensing, and precision agriculture can optimize SOM enhancement, enabling data-driven, site-specific, and sustainable intensification strategies. The process of carbon storage is facilitated by soil organic carbon (SOC), a key indicator of soil health. High SOC levels are associated with improved soil fertility, structure, and moisture retention, all of which support robust plant growth (Lehmann, et al., 2020) [9] . Practices such as no-till farming, cover cropping, and the incorporation of organic matter into the soil can enhance SOC levels, contributing to both increased agricultural productivity and reduced greenhouse gas emissions. However, when soil is degraded or eroded, stored carbon is released back into the atmosphere, contributing to global warming.

Nutrient cycling: Soil status evaluation is very important for estimating production systems' sustainability and yield capacity. Soil quality can be assessed using both qualitative and quantitative methods, considering physical, chemical and biological properties. Physical soil properties such as soil texture, structure, moisture content, porosity and bulk density are key indicators of soil health. These indicators influence water retention, root penetration and nutrient availability (Terence et al., 2020) [12] . Key chemical indicators of soil fertility include total carbon and nitrogen content, mineral nutrients, organic matter and cation exchange capacity. However, these indicators generally take more time than biological indicators such as soil health based on the presence, abundance and activity of living organisms within the soil. Unlike chemical indicators, which measure nutrient levels and pH, biological indicators reflect the biological functioning and fertility of the soil ecosystem. These include microbial biomass, soil respiration rates, enzyme activities and the diversity of soil fauna such as earthworms and nematodes. Because they respond sensitively to environmental changes, biological indicators provide valuable insights into the long-term sustainability of soil management practices. Both sets of indicators give important information on the intensity of microbial turnover and the nutrient cycling, which are critical for sustaining the health of soils. Artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as a powerful catalyst for improving nutrient cycling within soilhealth-led agricultural intensification. Sun et al. (2024) [11] , article 157) revealed that CBiResNet-BiLSTM deeplearning architecture to invert hyperspectral signatures for total nitrogen (TN) estimation in black soils. Their model produced high precision (R² = 0.937; RMSE ≈ 48.7 mg•kg⁻¹) and outperformed conventional methods such as PLSR and RF. Importantly, the architecture generalized well to the LUCAS soil reference database, indicating that AIdriven spectral fusion can overcome spatial heterogeneity barriers a key challenge limiting nutrient-cycling assessments in diverse agro-ecosystems. Gupta et al. (2024) [7] integrated a calibrated DSSAT crop model with a long short-term memory (LSTM) network to estimate daily soil mineral nitrogen (SMN) under field conditions using sparse monitoring data. Their hybrid approach reduced nRMSE by 18-30% relative to DSSAT alone. This improvement is critical for nutrient cycling, as day-to-day shifts in mineral N availability govern synchrony between crop N uptake and soil N transformations (mineralization, immobilization, and nitrification). Highfrequency SMN prediction allows precise alignment of fertilizer applications with biological N demand, minimizing losses through leaching and volatilization. Zhou et al. (2020) [14] used machine-learning algorithms with Sentinel-1/2 imagery and DEM derivatives to generate high-resolution spatial maps of soil organic carbon (SOC) and soil total nitrogen (STN). Their approach revealed finescale nutrient gradients that traditional sampling fails to capture. Such AI-derived maps support variable-rate fertilization, targeted residue management, and identification of nutrient-depleted microsites thereby strengthening nutrient cycling and improving soil organic matter buildup. Folorunso et al. (2023) [6] reported that ensemble tree models, especially Random Forest, consistently yield superior prediction accuracy for soil nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. They emphasized that AI performance is strongly dependent on spectral preprocessing, soil-depth consistency, and integration of ancillary variables. These improvements directly enhance nutrient-cycle modeling by enabling more precise estimation of mineralizable N, labile carbon pools, and nutrient stoichiometry. Awais et al. (2023) [2] highlighted that end-to-end AI workflows spectroscopy, ML inversion, digital soil mapping, fertilization decision engines-dramatically shorten the time from soil sampling to nutrient recommendations. They reported that AI systems improve diagnosis of nutrient deficiencies, optimize fertilizer timing, and reduce the reliance on laboratory analyses. However, they also noted the importance of model interpretability and bias detection to avoid misapplication of nutrient prescriptions. Chen et al. (2025) [3] developed a dynamic AIbased precision fertilization decision system that used continuous monitoring, crop-growth indicators and nutrientstatus predictions to adjust fertilizer dose and timing. Across multiple agro-ecological zones, their system achieved fertilizer savings of 18-27% and yield increases of 4-11%. These results show that AI can directly enhance nutrient-use efficiency (NUE), reduce nutrient losses, and promote soilhealth-led intensification by improving synchrony between soil nutrient supply and crop demand. [17] demonstrated that soil-moisture estimation using IoT sensors combined with polynomial regression reached R² ≈ 0.79, while soil-type classification reached 97.38% accuracy, providing actionable zonal irrigation recommendations within heterogeneous soils. These improved soil-water datasets are directly linked to AIaugmented irrigation scheduling and variable-rate irrigation (VRI). Machine-learning models process real-time moisture data, crop growth stages and weather forecasts to recommend optimal irrigation timing and volumes. Krishnan et al., (2022) [15] show that sensor-integrated AI scheduling can reduce water use by 20-50% while sustaining yields. Such precision is vital in soil-health-led intensification, where enhanced soil organic carbon, aggregation and microbial activity increase the soil's waterholding capacity and buffer capacity. AI allows irrigation to be synchronised with this improved soil hydraulics, enabling plants to extract water more efficiently while avoiding moisture stress or excessive percolation losses. AI also accelerates soil health assessment, which underpins long-term water productivity. Soils rich in organic matter and stable aggregates absorb rainfall better, reduce runoff, and enhance root-zone moisture retention. Awais et al. (2023) [2] showed that ML models (random forest, SVM, neural networks) accurately predict soil properties such as texture, organic carbon, and cation exchange capacity using only multispectral reflectance data and minimal ground sampling. This enables large-area soil monitoring and targeted placement of conservation practices (cover cropping, reduced tillage, and residue retention) that strengthen the soil-water-plant continuum. More advanced implementations use reinforcement learning (RL) and decision-support systems that integrate seasonal soil health with immediate irrigation needs. These systems evaluate multi-season strategies, recommending combinations of irrigation, mulching, residue retention and nutrient management that maximize cumulative water productivity rather than single-season water-use efficiency. Getahun et al., (2024) [16] show that RL-based irrigation and cropping strategies outperform rulebased systems, especially in variable rainfall regimes.

Internet of things

The Internet of Things (IoT) is emerging as the ideal solution for implementing smart water management applications and precision agriculture to avoid under-and over-irrigation. However, the seamless integration of the different technologies required for its practical use is still a work in progress (Jagtap et al.,). The rise of the IoT is attributed to several converging factors, including affordable devices, low-power wireless technologies, the presence of cloud data centres for storage and processing, management frameworks for handling un structured data from social networks, high-performance computing resources on standard platforms, and computational intelligence algorithms tailored to process vast amounts of data (Ahmed et al., 2025) [17] . In recent years, the application of IoT technologies has emerged as a transformative force in agriculture, providing innovative solutions to improve efficiency, sustainability and productivity in various aspects of agriculture, with a focus on irrigation, water reuse, water pollution monitoring and livestock management. One of the key challenges in agriculture is efficient water management and water quality monitoring. IoT technologies have revolutionized this aspect by enabling real-time monitoring and decision making (Jagtap et al. By auto mating irrigation processes and integrating actuators controlled by microcontrollers, farmers can achieve significant water savings while maximizing crop yields. The development of mobile applications for remote monitoring and control further enhances the accessibility usability of these systems. Robots can be used in agriculture to save a lot of human labour by performing repetitive physical tasks. Although people have traditionally used agricultural machinery to work faster and with less physical effort (for example, tractors, harvesters, planters and sprayers), these machines have relied on human manoeuvring. The main advantage of using robots on farms is that they can monitor and decide what tasks need to be carried out and then carry them out. I n particular, the main applications of robotics for water management in agriculture are in the areas of crop and soil monitoring, and watering/irrigation. An example of these two applications is the work of Wu et al.), who developed a robot that can monitor soil temperature and humidity and automatically water crops when needed. Their system also used weather forecasts through Long Short-Term Memory, a type of artificial neural network architecture, to make more accurate irrigation decisions. Other parameters are also useful in deciding when to water crops and can be incorporated into robotic irrigation systems, such as stem water potential (Dechemi et al.) and leaf density (Baltazar et al.

There are a number of other robotic systems that support water use and management in agriculture. For example, developed a robotic irrigation system consisting of a moving bridge manipulator and a sensor-based platform to monitor soil water content. Fern´ andez-Novales et al. used a ground robot equipped with thermal infrared radiometry to assess water status in vineyards. Robots can also be used to monitor water quality parameters such as pH, turbidity and temperature, and to determine whether a water source should be used for a particular soil (Gupta et al., 2024) [7] . A particularly interesting application of robots in agricultural water management is the detection of water leaks. Türkler et al. integrated visible light and thermal camera sensors into a robot, enabling the system to detect water leaks in drip irrigation systems.

Smart Sensors

In agricultural water management, Smart Sensors (SSs) promote water use efficiency and enable precision irrigation. These advanced sensors provide up-to-date information on key environmental parameters such as soil moisture, temperature, humidity and rainfall. They provide real-time data for informed irrigation scheduling and water application decisions. While IoT typically encompasses large networks of sensors and actuators, we explicitly highlight SSs as a separate technology in this review to emphasize that they can function as standalone solutions with embedded processing capabilities. However, these smart sensors are often integrated into broader IoT architectures to enable data sharing and remote control. Over the years, many researchers have focused on the application of SSs for agricultural water management (Kumar Kasera et al.). Khoa et al. used IoT multisensors for water management. The system design includes three main components: sensors for data collection, a Long Range Radio Third-generation Technology transmission module for IoT connectivity over large areas, and a single-chip microprocessor for data processing. The system uses realtime data from sensors installed in farm tunnels and other locations to predict watering needs and recommend watering schedules. However, it relies on specific applications, such as Blynk, and has challenges with reliability and internet connectivity. To address this, an alternative solution is to develop a SS combined with other advanced open source technologies such as cloud computing, machine learning and data analytics tools. In this context, Tzerakis et al. developed an open source IoT platform for water management in agriculture, focusing mainly on optimal irrigation and pest control in olive orchards. The experiment involved the integration of soil and atmospheric monitoring SSs with microcontrollers. These sensors transmit data to a cloudbased IoT platform using the Message Queuing Telemetry Transport protocol. The system immediately alerts farmers when soil moisture falls below critical thresholds or pest risks increase. The platform also calculates the amount of water required for irrigation based on crop needs, helping farmers use water efficiently.

Conclusions

Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping modern soil management by enabling continuous, high-resolution assessment of soil organic matter (SOM), nutrient cycling efficiency, and water productivity three core pillars of soilhealth-led agricultural intensification. Through machine learning, remote sensing, IoT soil sensors, automated soil testing, and predictive modelling, AI provides the analytical power needed to move from uniform, reactive nutrient and water management to highly adaptive, site-specific, and forward-looking decision frameworks. AI-enhanced SOM monitoring uses spectral sensing, digital soil mapping, and deep-learning algorithms to quantify organic carbon patterns and track changes across seasons and management scenarios. These capabilities support targeted interventions such as precision residue retention, organic amendment placement, cover-crop optimization, and conservation tillage zoning. By linking SOM dynamics with yield and climatic variability, AI models help design strategies that maximize carbon inputs while minimizing losses through erosion and microbial decomposition. In nutrient cycling, AI-driven nutrient decision support systems integrate soil data, crop models, and weather forecasts to deliver variable-rate fertilizer recommendations that align nutrient release with crop demand. This reduces nitrogen and phosphorus losses, enhances soil biological activity, and strengthens nutrient-use efficiency-key objectives of regenerative intensification pathways. Similarly, AI-powered irrigation tools use real-time soil moisture, evapotranspiration forecasting, and crop water modelling to tailor irrigation schedules that improve wateruse efficiency and reduce energy and water waste. Despite these advances, challenges persist. Gaps in groundtruth soil data, inconsistencies in sensor accuracy, limited representativeness of training datasets, and model transferability issues across agroecological zones constrain the reliability of AI predictions. Integrating mechanistic soil process models with data-driven approaches remains essential for credible and scalable solutions. Moreover, inclusive co-design with farmers, transparent model outputs, and capacity building for extension systems are crucial for field-level adoption. AI holds transformative potential for enhancing SOM, nutrient cycling, and water productivity under soil-health-led intensification frameworks. When supported by robust data ecosystems, hybrid modelling approaches, and farmer-centric implementation, AI can enable productivity gains while restoring ecological functions supporting resilient, climate-smart, and sustainable agricultural systems.

Figures and tables from the paper

Figure 1. Diagrammatic representation of the overview of soil health assessment
Diagrammatic representation of the overview of soil health assessment↗ Enlarge
Figure 1
Diagrammatic representation of the overview of soil health assessment

Diagrammatic representation of the overview of soil health assessment

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Original paper figureSource PDF · page 3 ↗
Table 1. Summary of Studies on Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) and Carbon Pool Changes under Various Agricultural Practices and
Summary of Studies on Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) and Carbon Pool Changes under Various Agricultural Practices and↗ Enlarge
Table 1
Summary of Studies on Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) and Carbon Pool Changes under Various Agricultural Practices and

Summary of Studies on Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) and Carbon Pool Changes under Various Agricultural Practices and

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Table 1. Rice (Northwest India): AI-Derived Nutrient Cycling & Soil Health
Var No.VariableUnitPunjab (Ludhiana)Haryana (Karnal)Western U.P. (Meerut)
1.Soil Organic Carbon%0.620.550.71
2.Microbial Biomass Cmg kg⁻¹310280345
3.Microbial Biomass Nmg kg⁻¹342938
4.Mineralizable Nkg ha⁻¹786985
5.Net N Mineralizationkg ha⁻¹ day⁻¹0.580.510.63
6.Nitrification Ratemg kg⁻¹ day⁻¹6.55.87.2
7.Denitrification Potentialmg N₂O m⁻² h⁻¹0.520.450.58
8.Floodwater NH₄⁺mg L⁻¹8.27.18.9
9.Floodwater NO₃⁻mg L⁻¹3.43.13.9
10.Available Nkg ha⁻¹294268310
11.Available Pkg ha⁻¹221825
12.Available Kkg ha⁻¹240220255
13.Sulfurmg kg⁻¹151217
14.Znmg kg⁻¹1.10.81.3
15.Femg kg⁻¹6.85.57.1
16.Mnmg kg⁻¹8.27.49.0
17.Soil pH-7.67.97.4
18.EcdS m⁻¹0.410.580.34
19.Bulk Densityg cm⁻³1.481.521.45
20.Soil Moisture%282430
21.Water Percolation Ratemm day⁻¹6.48.25.8
22.N Leaching Risk (AI)0-10.620.730.58
23.Methane Emission Potentialmg CH₄ m⁻² h⁻¹2.41.92.8
24.Urease Activityµg NH₄⁺ g⁻¹ h⁻¹423449
25.Phosphate Activityµg pNP g⁻¹ h⁻¹298240325
26.Dehydrogenaseµg TPF g⁻¹ h⁻¹292434
27.β-Glucosidasemg g⁻¹ h⁻¹0.740.610.88
28.Microbial Loadcopies g⁻¹2.5×10⁷2.1×10⁷2.9×10⁷
29.AI-N Uptakekg ha⁻¹10294115
30.AI-P Uptakekg ha⁻¹151318
31.AI-K Uptakekg ha⁻¹9284105
32.Leaf N Content%2.42.1-
33.SPAD-444048
34.NDVI-0.800.750.83
35.AI-Yield Predictiont ha⁻¹6.45.96.8
36.Actual Yieldt ha⁻¹6.15.56.3
37.C:N Ratio Residue-384235
38.Residue Decomposition Rate% month⁻¹262129
39.Soil Respirationmg CO₂ m⁻² h⁻¹590540645
40.GHG Intensitykg CO₂-eq ha⁻¹9458801020
41.Soil Food Web Complexity0-10.610.520.70
42.AI-N Recommendationkg ha⁻¹135148122
43.AI-P Recommendationkg ha⁻¹383442
44.AI-K Recommendationkg ha⁻¹625870
45.Water Productivitykg grain m⁻³1.241.121.32
46.K Cycling Efficiency%443850
47.Nutrient Fertility Index0-100786882
48.Nutrient Cycling Score0-10.720.610.78
49.Load of Methanogenscopies g⁻¹1.8×10⁶1.2×10⁶2.1×10⁶
50.Redox PotentialmV-145-128-155

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Rice (Northwest India): AI-Derived Nutrient Cycling & Soil Health

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Table 2. Wheat (Northwest India): AI-Derived Nutrient Cycling & Soil Health
Var No.VariableUnitPunjab (Ludhiana)Haryana (Hisar)Western U.P. (Bulandsahar)
1Soil Organic Carbon%0.580.420.70
2Active Carbonmg kg⁻¹425305490
3Microbial Biomass Cmg kg⁻¹295220350
4Microbial Biomass Nmg kg⁻¹292136
5Mineralizable Nkg ha⁻¹644878
6Nitrification Ratemg kg⁻¹ day⁻¹5.13.86.2
7Denitrification Potentialmg N₂O m⁻² h⁻¹0.340.250.40
8Soil Respirationmg CO₂ m⁻² h⁻¹480380520
9Total N%0.0750.0520.091
10Available Nkg ha⁻¹210165245
11Available Pkg ha⁻¹201226
12Available Kkg ha⁻¹210165245

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Wheat (Northwest India): AI-Derived Nutrient Cycling & Soil Health

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Table 3. Sugarcane (Northwest India): AI-Based Nutrient Cycling & Productivity
13Cacmol kg⁻¹7.05.87.6
14Mgcmol kg⁻¹2.82.13.2
15Znmg kg⁻¹0.90.521.2
16Soil pH-7.88.27.4
17ECdS m⁻¹0.290.460.24
18Soil Moisture%181222
19Bulk Densityg cm⁻³1.391.521.33
20Water Holding Capacity%443252
21Aggregate Stability%544163
22β-Glucosidasemg g⁻¹ h⁻¹0.800.550.95
23Ureaseµg NH₄⁺ g⁻¹ h⁻¹362842
24Phosphataseµg pNP g⁻¹ h⁻¹250185310
25Dehydogenaseµg TPF g⁻¹ h⁻¹281736
26Fungal:Bacterial Ratio-0.520.380.68
27Microbial Loadcopies g⁻¹1.9×10⁷1.2×10⁷2.4×10⁷
28AI-N Uptakekg ha⁻¹9465115
29AI-P Uptakekg ha⁻¹161022
30AI-K Uptakekg ha⁻¹7852102
31Leaf N%2.11.62.4
32SPAD-423546
33NDVI-0.780.660.83
34Biomass Productiont ha⁻¹11.28.512.4
35AI Yieldt ha⁻¹5.63.96.3
36Actual Yieldt ha⁻¹5.13.45.8
37N Cycling Efficiency%443252
38P Cycling Efficiency%311840
39K Cycling Efficiency%382848
40AI-N Recommendationkg ha⁻¹130150110
41AI-P Recommendationkg ha⁻¹362842
42AI-K Recommendationkg ha⁻¹584870
43Soil Fertility Index0-100755884
44Nutrient Cycling Score0-10.680.520.78
45N Leaching Risk0-10.380.520.29
46P Fixation Risk0-10.410.580.34
47AI-Carbon Budget Changekg C ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹+380+210+450
48Soil Temperature°C23.527.222.4
49Residue Retention Effects% yield gain12616
50Water Productivitykg grain m⁻³1.320.781.45
51Soil Nitratemg kg⁻¹261434
52Soil Ammoniummg kg⁻¹13817
53AI-N Supply Adequacy%825491
54Soil Biological Health Score0-100725582

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Table 3. Sugarcane (Northwest India): AI-Based Nutrient Cycling & Productivity
Var No.VariableUnitU.P. (Meerut)Haryana (Yamunanagar)Punjab (Gurdaspur)
1.Soil Organic Carbon%0.680.520.75
2.Active Carbonmg kg⁻¹510410550
3.Microbial Biomass Cmg kg⁻¹380290420
4.Microbial Biomass Nmg kg⁻¹422948
5.Mineralizable Nkg ha⁻¹856294
6.N Mineralization Ratekg ha⁻¹ day⁻¹0.620.440.72
7.Nitrification Ratemg kg⁻¹ day⁻¹7.55.48.1
8.Denitrificationmg N₂O m⁻² h⁻¹0.520.380.61
9.Soil Respirationmg CO₂ m⁻² h⁻¹655520710
10.SOC Sequestrationkg ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹520310580
11.Available Nkg ha⁻¹310220340
12.Available Pkg ha⁻¹281534
13.Available Kkg ha⁻¹260200295
14.Smg kg⁻¹171122
15.Znmg kg⁻¹1.30.71.6
16.pH-7.88.17.5
17.Soil Moisture%231726
18.Bulk Densityg cm⁻³1.341.461.32
19.Hydraulic Conductivitycm hr⁻¹0.420.310.48
20.Aggregate Stability%624968
21.Ureaseµg NH₄⁺ g⁻¹ h⁻¹443052
22.Phosphataseµg pNP g⁻¹ h⁻¹320210360
23.Dehydrogenaseµg TPF g⁻¹ h⁻¹342240

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Sugarcane (Northwest India): AI-Based Nutrient Cycling & Productivity

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Table 4. Mustard (Northwest India): AI-Derived Nutrient Cycling & Soil Health
24.β-Glucosidasemg g⁻¹ h⁻¹1.020.701.18
25.Microbial Loadcopies g⁻¹3.4×10⁷2.2×10⁷3.8×10⁷
26.AI-P Uptakekg ha⁻¹221428
27.AI-N Uptakekg ha⁻¹135110150
28.AI-K Uptakekg ha⁻¹11594136
29.Leaf N%1.851.622.10
30.Stalk Biomasst ha⁻¹826595
31.Cane Yieldt ha⁻¹786290
32.Sucrose %%18.217.119.0
33.AI-Yield Predictiont ha⁻¹816392
34.N Cycling Efficiency%584264
35.P Cycling Efficiency%362242
36.K Cycling Efficiency%493854
37.Soil Fertility Score0-100826888
38.Biological Activity Index0-100856092
39.AI-N Recommendationkg ha⁻¹160185145
40.AI-P Recommendationkg ha⁻¹423252
41.AI-K Recommendationkg ha⁻¹9278110
42.Water Productivitykg cane m⁻³11.28.512.4
43.Soil Nitratemg kg⁻¹341842
44.AI-N Loss Risk0-10.480.620.38
45.P Fixation Risk0-10.340.550.28
46.Soil K Availability Index0-10.780.620.84
47.Biological Nitrogen Fixationkg N ha⁻¹141018
48.Residue Decomposition%322436
49.Soil Health Index0-100846290
50.Nutrient Cycling Score0-10.780.600.85

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Table 4. Mustard (Northwest India): AI-Derived Nutrient Cycling & Soil Health
Var No.VariableUnitHaryana (Karnal)Punjab (Ludhiana)Western U.P. (Meerut)Rajasthan (Bharatpur)
1.Soil pH-7.98.27.38.3
2.ECdS/m0.400.360.280.58
3.SOCg/kg4.14.86.52.2
4.SOMg/kg7.08.211.13.8
5.Total Ng/kg0.360.410.560.20
6.Avail Pmg/kg16182111
7.Avail Kmg/kg155165145150
8.Soil Moisture%19222611
9.Bulk Densityg/cm³1.501.471.421.58
10.CECcmol/kg15151711
11.Calciumcmol/kg18192016
12.Magnesiumcmol/kg4.24.55.23.6
13.Sulphurmg/kg109127
14.Zincmg/kg0.600.620.780.42
15.Ironmg/kg4.65.26.33.9
16.Manganesemg/kg5.36.16.93.2
17.Coppermg/kg0.800.820.890.56
18.Boronmg/kg0.400.420.490.29
19.Plant-Available Simg/kg48495333
20.ESP (Sodicity)%5.55410
21.MBCmg/kg185215270125
22.MBNmg/kg19232912
23.Soil Respirationmg CO₂/kg/hr29313519
24.Dehydrogenaseµg TPF/g/hr30364419
25.Phosphataseµg PNP/g/hr215245285155
26.Microbial Diversity0-104.75.36.53.2
27.EarthwormsNo./m²57112
28.OC Stability%30334119
29.Active Carbong/kg2.02.23.01.1
30.N Mineralizationkg/ha36394623
31.Infiltrationmm/hr5.05.36.12.6
32.WHC%33363923
33.Aggregate Stability%44465328
34.CompactionMPa1.551.651.452.05
35.Porosity%42444936
36.Nitrificationmg/kg/day2.93.13.72.0
37.Denitrificationmg/kg/day1.31.62.11.0
38.K Fixation%18202312
39.P Fixation%27302519
40.Crust Strengthkg/cm²1.11.20.91.9

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Table 5. Potato (Northwest India): AI-Derived Nutrient Cycling & Soil Health
41.AI N Deficitkg/ha58524272
42.AI P Deficitkg/ha19231526
43.AI K Deficitkg/ha11121019
44.AI S Requirementkg/ha24251834
45.AI Zn Requirementkg/ha6.26.65.17.8
46.AI B Requirementkg/ha1.31.41.051.9
47.Soil Biological Health0-10050566640
48.Nutrient Cycling Efficiency%54566341
49.AI Yield Constraint Index0-10.560.510.410.71
50.AI Soil Health Index0-10056636943

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Table 5. Potato (Northwest India): AI-Derived Nutrient Cycling & Soil Health
Var No.VariableUnitHaryana (Karnal)Punjab (Ludhiana)Western U.P. (Meerut)Rajasthan (Bharatpur)
1.Soil pH-7.78.07.18.2
2.ECdS/m0.380.350.260.55
3.SOCg/kg4.55.07.02.4
4.SOMg/kg7.48.612.04.0
5.Total Ng/kg0.370.420.600.22
6.Avail Pmg/kg18202412
7.Avail Kmg/kg165175160155
8.Soil Moisture%20232812
9.Bulk Densityg/cm³1.481.461.381.55
10.CECcmol/kg16161812
11.Cacmol/kg18192116
12.Mgcmol/kg4.44.65.43.7
13.Sulphurmg/kg1211148
14.Zincmg/kg0.680.700.850.45
15.Ironmg/kg4.85.46.54.0
16.Mnmg/kg5.56.37.23.3
17.Cumg/kg0.820.840.920.58
18.Bmg/kg0.420.440.510.30
19.Plant Simg/kg50525534
20.ESP%5549
21.MBCmg/kg200230290135
22.MBNmg/kg21253213
23.Respirationmg CO₂/kg/hr31333820
24.Dehydrogenaseµg TPF/g/hr32384820
25.Phosphataseµg PNP/g/hr220250300160
26.Diversity0-105.05.56.73.3
27.EarthwormsNo./m²68122
28.OC Stability%32344320
29.Active Carbong/kg2.22.43.31.2
30.N Mineralizationkg/ha38415024
31.Infiltrationmm/hr5.25.56.52.8
32.WHC%34374024
33.Aggregate Stability%45475529
34.CompactionMPa1.501.601.402.00
35.Porosity%43455037
36.Nitrificationmg/kg/day3.13.33.92.1
37.Denitrificationmg/kg/day1.41.72.21.0
38.K Fixation%19212413
39.P Fixation%28302420
40.Crust Strengthkg/cm²1.01.10.81.7
41.AI N Deficitkg/ha65584880
42.AI P Deficitkg/ha20241627
43.AI K Deficitkg/ha15141221
44.AI S Requirementkg/ha28272036
45.AI Zn Requirementkg/ha7.07.25.48.1
46.AI B Requirementkg/ha1.41.51.12.0
47.Soil Biological Health0-10058607242
48.Nutrient Cycling Efficiency%56586642
49.AI Yield Constraint Index0-10.600.520.430.75
50.AI Soil Health Index0-10060657445

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Table 6. Pulses (Northwest India): AI-Derived Nutrient Cycling & Soil Health
Var No.VariableUnitHaryana (Karnal)Punjab (Ludhiana)Western U.P. (Meerut)Rajasthan (Bharatpur)
1.Soil pH-7.88.17.28.3
2.ECdS/m0.420.370.290.60
3.SOCg/kg4.24.76.82.3
4.SOMg/kg7.28.011.53.9
5.Total Ng/kg0.380.420.580.21
6.Avail Pmg/kg17192312
7.Avail Kmg/kg160170150155
8.Moisture%19212711
9.Bulk Densityg/cm³1.491.471.401.57
10.CECcmol/kg15161811
11.Cacmol/kg18192116
12.Mgcmol/kg4.34.65.33.7
13.Sulphurmg/kg1110137
14.Zincmg/kg0.630.650.820.43
15.Ironmg/kg4.75.36.43.9
16.Mnmg/kg5.46.27.03.2
17.Cumg/kg0.810.830.910.57
18.Boronmg/kg0.410.430.500.29
19.Plant Simg/kg49515434
20.ESP%55410
21.MBCmg/kg190220280130
22.MBNmg/kg20243012
23.Respirationmg CO₂/kg/hr30323619
24.Dehydrogenaseµg TPF/g/hr31374619
25.Phosphataseµg PNP/g/hr218248295158
26.Diversity0-104.85.36.63.2
27.EarthwormsNo./m²57112
28.OC Stability%31344219
29.Active Carbong/kg2.12.33.11.1
30.N Mineralizationkg/ha37404823
31.Infiltrationmm/hr5.15.46.22.7
32.WHC%33353923
33.Aggregates%44465428
34.CompactionMPa1.521.621.422.03
35.Porosity%42444936
36.Nitrificationmg/kg/day3.03.23.82.0
37.Denitrificationmg/kg/day1.31.62.11.0
38.K Fixation%19212413
39.P Fixation%27302520
40.Crust Strengthkg/cm²1.051.150.851.75
41.AI N Deficitkg/ha60544475
42.AI P Deficitkg/ha19231526
43.AI K Deficitkg/ha12131020
44.AI S Requirementkg/ha25261935
45.AI Zn Requirementkg/ha6.56.75.27.9
46.AI B Requirementkg/ha1.31.41.11.9
47.Biological Health0-10052576840
48.Nutrient Cycling Efficiency%55576441
49.AI Yield Constraint Index0-10.570.520.420.73
50.AI Soil Health Index0-10057637143

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