Green Manuring for Soil Productivity Improvement

Description

Green manures, particularly the leguminous crops, are of great value for improving soil fertility. The beneficial effect of green manures includes the microbiological, chemical and physical properties of soil. Green manures are particularly recognized for their nitrogen supplying capacity. The purpose of this chapter is to demonstrate the importance of green manure and the use of crop residues as management for soil fertility. The potential to increase/sustain productivity by providing nutrients. The main factors influencing the decomposition and mineralization processes, green manure techniques, presenting the main green manures, criteria for choosing, managements, potential for nutrient accumulation. Finally, we use some examples to demonstrate the potential nutrient supply of crop residues from the main crops grown in the tropics. The difficulties and limitations involved are also discussed. Long term work to evaluate the effects of contrasting fertility building strategies in organic field vegetable systems. It has also been involved with an international project to develop a computer model which will help with planning rotations that include green manures. Focussed on the use of winter green manures to reduce nitrate leaching, Leguminous fertility building crops, focussing particularly on nitrogen fixation and utilisation. Incorporation of green manuring different treatment is a low cost and effective technology in minimizing the investment cost of chemical fertilizers and safeguarding the productive capacity of the soil by improving physical and chemical properties. The addition of suitable green manuring crops in cropping system can reduced the fertilizer usage to succeeding crop and increase the nutrient uptake and finally results in better crop growth and yields.