Soil health and yield responses to integrated green manure and nitrogen management in a rice-baby corn cropping system

Abstract

The experiment was conducted using a split-plot design to investigate the effect of different types of green manures viz. Fallow, Eichhornia crassipes, Sesbania aculeata, and Sorghum bicolor ssp. drummondii Cyperales as the main plot treatments along with three nitrogen management treatment levels (50% urea and 50% FYM) at rates of 90 kg ha− 1 (N60), 120 kg ha− 1 (N80), and 150 kg ha− 1 (N100) as sub-plot treatments on soil properties and crop production. Results indicated that Sesbania aculeata and N100 significantly enhanced biological yields, with increase in rice yields by 36.2% and 26.3%, and baby corn yields by 27.6% and 18.2% respectively, compared to fallow and N60 treatments. Moreover, Sesbania aculeata and N100 led to improvements in organic matter, soil microbial biomass carbon, fungal population, bacterial population, actinomycetes population, dehydrogenase activity, and urease activity compared to fallow and N60 treatments. These outcomes highlight the synergistic benefits of integrating Sesbania aculeata with N100 nitrogen levels, emphasizing the need for long-term studies to further assess their impacts on soil health and sustained crop productivity.