Asian Journal of Current Research

A field experiment was conducted during the kharif and rabi seasons of 2020–21 and 2021–22 at the College Farm, Agricultural College, Mahanandi (ANGRAU), to assess the impact of humic acid and Recommended Dose of Fertilizers (RDF) on soil health. The experiment was laid out in Split plot design with three replications with four main plots and six sub plots total twenty four treatments viz., Control (M1), 50 % RDF (M2) , 75 % RDF (M3) and 100% RDF (M4) as main plots and six humic acid levels to foxtail millet crop comprising of No Humic acid application (S1), 10 kg ha^-1 Humic acid as soil application (S2) , 20 kg Humic acid as soil application (S3), 0.2% of foliar application of Humic acid (S4), 10 kg ha^-1Humic acid as soil application + 0.2% foliar application of Humic acid (S5) and 20 kg ha^-1Humic acid as soil application + 0.2% foliar application of Humic acid (S6) as sub- plot treatments to evaluate the effect of fertilizers and humic acid on soil biological properties of foxtail millet crop. The application of 100% RDF (M4) resulted in the highest microbial populations (bacteria, fungi, and actinomycetes), statistically similar to 75% RDF (M3) in all four growing seasons. Among the humic acid treatments, S6 (20 kg ha⁻¹ soil application + 0.2% foliar spray) led to significantly improved higher microbial populations, comparable to S3 (20 kg ha⁻¹ soil application only).However, no significant interaction was observed between RDF levels and humic acid treatments during either year. The results demonstrate that humic acid application, particularly when used both as a soil amendment and foliar spray, enhances soil fertility and microbial activity. Moreover, integrating 75% RDF with humic acid offers a promising strategy for reducing chemical fertilizer use while maintaining soil health and promoting sustainable agricultural practices.