Influence of different summer green manures on rice -wheat yield, nutrient uptake and soil characteristics Saraswat PK*, Kumar S, Tiwari RC, Singh VK Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh - 221005, India. 1Corresponding Address: KVK, Banasthali University, PO. Banasthali, Rajasthan - 304022, India, E mail: saraswat_pankaj_nj@yahoo.com.
Abstract A field experiment was conducted during 2002 to 2004 to study the response of summer green manuring on rice-wheat crop yields and soil characteristics on a sandy loam soil. Green gram (Phaseolus aurus-Roxb), Sun hemp (Crotalaria juncea Lin) and Dhaincha (Sesbania-aculeata poir) crops were grown as summer green manures (SGM) during April to June. Fresh weight of organic matter added by Sunnhemp, Dhaincha and green gram was 32.65, 35.55 and 17.30t ha1 respectively. N supplying capacity of Sunnhemp, Dhaincha and Green gram was recorded to be 126.8, 120.5 and 79.6 kg ha−1 respectively, that of P supplying capacity 27.0, 31.4 and 17.3 kg ha−1 and that of K 130.3, 137.6 and 98.5 kg ha−1respectively. Sunnhemp, Dhaincha and Green gram added dry matter at the rate of 5.87, 5.71 and 3.94 t ha−1 to soil. Sun hemp and Dhaincha supplied treatments along with 120 kg nitrogen registered maximum yields of rice and wheat. Further, summer green manuring along with inorganic fertilizer decreased bulk density and pH of soil whereas, electrical conductivity, organic carbon and cation exchange capacity of soil increased. Translocation of NPK and micronutrients to rice and wheat grain also increased. Conclusively it emerged that seasonal summer fallow fields may be used for growing of summer green manures and higher yields of rice and wheat could be obtained. Top Keywoards Summer green manures, rice wheat yield, nutrient uptake, physico-chemical properties of soil. Top |