Studies on Sesbania aculeata Pers. As green manure for N accumulation and substitution of fertilizer-N in wetland rice

Authors

  • V. Beri Department of Soils, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana 141004, India
  • O.P. Meelu Department of Soils, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana 141004, India
  • C.S. Khind Department of Soils, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana 141004, India

Keywords:

Green manure, Sesbania, Mineralization, Biomass, N-accumulation, N-substitution, N-uptake, Rice, Efficient N utilization

Abstract

In a field experiment conducted over four years, the efficient utilization of biologically-fixed N through Sesbania aculeate green manure was studied by allowing different periods of decomposition for the green manure before transplanting of wetland rice. The experiment involved three decomposition periods; 1, 7 and 14 days before transplanting (DBT)and 0, 60,90 and 120 kg N ha-1. 60-day-old Sesbania, on average, produced 23 and 4.6 t ha-1 of green and dry matter, respectively, and accumulated 104 kg N ha-1. Incorporation of green manure 1 DBT gave a significantly better grain yield of rice than its incorporation 7 and 14 DBT. The grain yield of rice transplanted one day after incorporation of green manure without fertilizer N was equivalent to 120 kg N ha-1 as urea. In wetland rice fields 40% of C and 80% of N of Sesbania green manure was mineralized in the first 10 days of incorporation. The release pattern of NH4+-N showed that its peak occurred during the first 10-14 days of green manure incorporation, followed by a decline thereafter. In laboratory incubations, amendment of soil with Sesbania resulted in the formation of NO3--N under both field capacity and saturated moisture regimes. The introduction of acetylene arrested the formation of NO3--N which might have been lost through leaching and denitrification upon flooding.

How to Cite

Beri, V., Meelu, O., & Khind, C. (1989). Studies on Sesbania aculeata Pers. As green manure for N accumulation and substitution of fertilizer-N in wetland rice. Tropical Agriculture, 66(3). Retrieved from https://journals.sta.uwi.edu/ojs/index.php/ta/article/view/1864

Issue

Section

Research Papers