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Research Article Open access CC BY 4.0

Low Cost Zero till In situ Green Manuring for Kharif Rice-A Success Story

Ankit Kumar Ghorai, Asesh Kumar Ghorai

International Journal of Environment and Climate Change · pp. 317–323 · Published 5 May 2023

10.9734/ijecc/2023/v13i71882

Abstract

Low cost zero till in situ green manuring using plant species like dhaincha (Sesbania aculeata) and sunnhemp (Crotalaria juncea) will eliminate the age old problems of large scale adoption of green manuring across the farming community. These two species germinated and grown well when sown before (as paira crop during last irrigation) or after rice harvest under zero till condition, with assured nor western rain/monsoon rain or with one post sowing irrigation (7.5 cm). The zero till paira dhaincha green manuring process opened up the scope of producing green manuring at lower cost and saves up to Rs.15000/ha over conventional rain fed green manuring system. Green manuring by dhaincha produced 50-60 tonnes of biomass at 35-40 DAS in alluvial (North 24 PGS),  lateritic (Purulia)  and clay soils (Paschim Medinipur), produced 30-50 q raw rice /ha and saved 20-27 kg (30 per cent) chemical nitrogen/ha. This green manure will help in quicker decomposition of rice straw left after combined harvest (3.5- 6,0 t/ha), minimise its field burning, sequester enough carbon to the soil. Fifty tonnes green biomass of dhaincha/sunnhemp, has the potential to absorb 15 tonnes CO2 from the atmosphere, sequesters 2 tonnes of carbon in soil, minimise environmental pollution, improve soil health, its structure and water holding capacity. This technique can be adopted in rice growing countries across the globe without difficulty.  Seed production dhaincha and sunnhemp  is possible by growing it as paira crop (40 kg/ha) within kharif rice which grows up to 45 cm height, produces healthy pods and matures by 70 days which otherwise takes 5-8 months in normal season. If the seed crop is not harvested in rice fallows, from shattered seeds, self-seeded zero till and rain fed dhaincha manure can be obtained in rice fallows.

Zero tillage green manure biomss rice yield nitrogen addition economics.

References (8)

  1. 1 The potential of green manure to increase soil carbon sequestration and reduce the yield-scaled carbon footprint of rice production in southern China [DOI]
  2. 2 Green Manure Amendment in Paddies Improves Soil Carbon Sequestration but Cannot Substitute the Critical Role of N Fertilizer in Rice Production [DOI]
  3. 3 Stem-Nodulating Legume-Rhizobium Symbiosis and Its Agronomic Use in Lowland Rice [DOI]
  4. 4 Effect of green manuring with Sesbania aculeata and nitrogen fertilization on the performance of direct-seeded flood-prone lowland rice [DOI]
  5. 5 Effect of Green Manuring and Tillage Practices on Physical Properties of Puddled Loam Soil under Rice-Wheat Cropping System
  6. 6 Nitrogen Losses and Lowland Rice Yield as Affected by Residue Nitrogen Release [DOI]
  7. 7 In situ Enriched Compost Preparation from Rice and Wheat Straw using Tender Sunnhemp to Minimise Field Burning [DOI]
  8. 8 Agronomy [DOI]

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