3. Manuring
DEFINITION
Practice of growing crops (mostly legumes) and ploughing them under
the soil when their tops are green.
Example: Legumes are the best green manuring crops.
Why legumes are preferred?
They have ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen into the soil.
4. What is green manuring?
Green manuring is the practice of growing lush plants on the site into
which you want to incorporate organic matter, then turning into the soil
while it is still fresh.
The plant material used in this way is called a green manure (GM).
Generally the practice of green manuring is adopted in two ways:
a) In-situ green manuring
b) Green leaf manuring
5. Green manuring
Green manuring In this system the short duration legume crops are
grown and buried in the same site when they attain the age of 60-80 days
after sowing.
This system of on-site nutrient resource generation is most prevalent in
northern and southern parts of India where rice is the major crop in the
existing cropping systems.
6. Major Green Manure Crops
Jantar
Guara
Sesbania
Berseem
Lucern
Sun hemp
9. Why Green Manuring is Necessary
To add organic matter into the soil.
To maintain soil fertility level .
To improve the structure of soil.
To fix atmospheric nitrogen into the soil.
10. Criteria For Green Manure Crops
Crop should be of short duration.
Vegetative growth rate should be high.
Produce more biomass.
Rapidly decomposing.
Should have Fibrous root system.
11. Time Of Green Manuring
Mostly practiced in kharif season.
High temperature help in rapid decomposition.
Six weeks usually required to complete decomposition.
12. Benefits Of Green Manuring
Increase in organic matter
Increase in soil fertility.
Reduction of inorganic fertilizer use
Increase in food quality
Improvement in soil properties
Increase in water holding capacity.
