Vol. 11, Issue 9 (2022)

Author(s):
Sumayya, DS Waghdhare, AB Gosavi and SM Khan

Abstract:
The changing climate and increasing population have raised the need for increased food production without compromising the quality of atmosphere as well as soil health. The present opportunities for sustainable agriculture lead the way in reducing these negative effects on soil as well as plant productivity. In view of this, pot culture and incubation studies were conducted to analyze the influence of different green manuring crops on the nitrogen mineralization, soil enzyme activities, and nitrifying bacterial population in Entisols for 75 days with seven treatments, viz., Sunhemp, cluster bean, cowpea, mutant dhaincha, green gram, soybean, and control during rabi 2020. The incorporation of green manure crop residues in the soil increased the soil nitrogen mineralization rate. The mineralization rate was slow at the initial stage, which gradually increased to attain a maximum by 30 days of incubation, then eventually decreased till the end of the incubation period. The incorporation also improved the soil urease and dehydrogenase activity along with nitrifying microbial population, viz., Nitrosomonas and Nitrobacter in the soil. Mutant dhaincha (TSR-1) incorporation exhibited substantial influence on nitrogen mineralization (NH4-N + NO3-N), enzyme activity, and microbial population in the soil.