Shift in Cropping System: Is a Sustainable Means of Improving Crop Production and Maintaining Soil Health?

South and Southeast Asia is dominated by rice-wheat cropping system [1], but the cultivation area is declining [2]. ▪ Intensification and diversification of cropping patterns occur in response to changes in external pressures and system-immanent drivers [3]. ▪ Intensive agriculture has increased the productivity. However, its negative impacts on biodiversity, soil health, high inputs/resources demand influenced shift in intensive agriculture towards more sustainable crop production [4]. ▪ Thus, understanding potential effects and trade-offs of system shift on different soil attributes along with its influence in supply demand synchrony is necessary for changed cropping systems and other interventions in agriculture production systems.