Role of Green Manuring in Improving Soil Fertility and Crop Yield

Abstract

Green manuring is a very ancient though becoming an important agronomic practice that plays a significant role in improving the soil fertility as well as crop production in the sustainable agricultural systems. It involves planting and incorporation of specific species of plants, mostly legumes in the soil to provide organic matters as well as nutrients necessary in the soil. The growing fear of soil erosion, the declining soil fertility, as well as the adverse impact of chemicals on the environment due to the high usage of the fertilizers have resulted in the renewed emphasis on green manuring as a more sustainable means of keeping the soil healthy. This process supplements the physical, chemical, and biological properties of soil through the incorporation of organic carbon into soil, which increases the availability of nitrogen to soil by reacting with soil biology and doubles soil structure and generation of microbial activity. Moreover, green manuring will assist in increasing the water retention, soil erosion and nutrient cycling, which will consequently lead to high crop produce and long term sustainability of agriculture. Extensive amount of research in different agro-ecological areas demonstrate that green manuring leads to high level of crop performance particularly in cropping systems where peonage crops predominantly feature. The paper is concerned with the significance of green manuring to increase the soil fertility and crop yield with keen interests of the mechanisms, the benefits, and significance of green manuring in the modern sustainable farming.