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Green manuring

Green manuring is the plowing under or soil incorporation of any green manure crops while they are green or soon after they flower. Green manures are forage or leguminous crops that are grown for their leafy materials needed for soil conservation.

Advantages of green manuring

  1. Improves the soil fertility
  2. Add nutrients and organic matters
  3. Improves the soil structure
  4. Improves soil aeration
  5. Helps control insect/mite pests, nematodes, and diseases
  6. Helps control weeds
  7. Promotes habitat for natural enemies
  8. Increases soil's biodiversity by stimulating the growth of beneficial microbes and other soil organisms

Green manure crops

Green manure crops Seeding rate
(kg/ha)
Green biomass
(t/ha)
 
Dry biomass
(t/ha)
 
Nitrogen content
(%)
 
Nitrogen
(kg/ha)
 
When to
incorporate
in the soil? (DAP)
 
Azolla 50-90 8-10 1.8-3 52 35
Cowpea 40 9-10 3-4 1.4-1.5 140-150 40-60
Lablab  7-18 5-7   220 45-60
Mustard 5-12 3.5 21-37
Pigeon pea 45-67 9-10 5-7 45-60
Sesbania  20-90 1.5-4 4.3 250-360 45-50
Soybean 30-56 5-7.4 310 45-60
Sun hemp 35-40 5-19 5.5-6 1.7 108 50-60
Sweet clover  30-40 12 6 2   40-50

Criteria for the selection of green manure crops

  1. Fast growing
  2. Produce abundant and succulent tops
  3. Well adapted to the local condition
  4. Can fix nitrogen in the soil

Reminders

  1. Broadcast or sow the seeds after harvest
  2. Cut the greens after flowering and plow them under
  3. Sow or transplant the next crops 1-2 weeks after the incorporation of the green manure



External links


References


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