Summary
Two annual species of Sesbania, S. aculeata and Sesbania sp. PL Se-17, were field evaluated as green manure for wetland rice in an alkaline soil. The two species were raised as a catch crop during summer in a wheat-rice rotation, and added as 24.7 and 20.8 t ha−1 of green matter, 116 and 98 kg N ha−1, respectively, after 45 days of growth. For the optimum green manuring effect on rice grain yield and N uptake, S. aculeata required 5 days of decomposition (after turning in and before rice transplantation), whereas no decomposition period was necessary for Sesbania sp. PL Se-17. The effect on grain yield and N uptake of rice was equivalent to an application of 122 and 78 kg ha−1 of chemical N, for the two species, respectively. There was no residual effect of the green manuring on the soil N status after rice harvest.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Beri V, Meelu OP (1981) Substitution of nitrogen through green manure in rice. Indian Farming 31:3–4
Bhardwaj KKR (1982) Effect of the age and decomposition period of dhaincha on the yield of rice. Indian J Agron 27:284–285
Bhardwaj KKR, Dev SP (1985) Production and decomposition of Sesbania cannabina (Retz.) Pers. in relation to its effect on the yield of wetland rice. Trop Agric (Trinidad) 62:233–236
Dommergues YR (1982) Scarcely explored means of increasing the soil N pool through biological N2 fixation. In: Whither soil research? 12th Int Congr Soil Sci, Indian Soc Soil Sci, IARI, New Delhi, pp 138–149
Ghai SK, Rao DLN, Batra L (1985) Comparative study of the potential of sesbanias for green manuring. Trop Agric (Trinidad) 62:52–56
Hesse PR (1971) A textbook of soil chemical analysis. Murray, London
Rao DLN (1986) Sesbania for green manuring. In: Better farming in salt affected soils, No. 6, Central Soil Salinity Research Institute, Karnal, p 7
Rao DLN, Batra L (1983) Ammonia volatilization from applied nitrogen in alkali soils. Plant Soil 70:219–228
Rinaudo G, Dreyfus B, Dommergues YR (1983) Sesbania rostrata green manure and the nitrogen content of rice crop and soil. Soil Biol Biochem 15:111–113
Tiwari KN, Tiwari SP, Pathak AN (1980) Studies on green manuring of rice in double cropping system in a partially reclaimed saline-sodic soil. Indian J Agron 25:136–145
Vachhani MB, Murty KS (1964) Green manuring for rice. ICAR Res Rep ser no. 17, Indian Counc of Agric Res, New Delhi, p 50
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Ghai, S.K., Rao, D.L.N. & Batra, L. Nitrogen contribution to wetland rice by green manuring with Sesbania spp. in an alkaline soil. Biol Fert Soils 6, 22–25 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00257915
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00257915