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Soil fertility management and water conservation strongly impact soil quality and agronomic production of Vertisols. Thus the data from a 22-year of soil fertility management experiment conducted in semi arid tropical region of central India was used to evaluate the impact of input of crop residue carbon (C) through sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) cultivation in post monsoon season in Vertisols. In addition, the use of chemical fertilizers and manuring on crop yield sustainability and soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration was assessed to 1-m depth. Retention of crop residues of sorghum, and application of farmyard manure (FYM) equivalent to 25kgNha⁻¹ along with 25kgNha⁻¹ supplied through chemical fertilizers increased and maintained the SOC stock. Green leaf manuring with Leucaena clippings along with chemical fertilizers did not increase the SOC stock. However, a conjunctive use of crop residues and …