A field experiment was conducted under rainfed environment of Pothowar region of Pakistan to assess physical properties of soil as influenced by various green manure legumes (sesbania, cluster bean and rice bean) and different P levels (0, 30, 60, 90 kg P 2 O 5 /ha). Highest fresh biomass was observed in sesbania (23 t/ha) followed by cluster bean (19 t/ha) and lowest in rice bean (17 t/ha). Maximum crude protein content was found in sesbania (17%) followed by rice bean (10%) and cluster bean (8%). Green manuring crops, on average reduced soil bulk density (5%), enhanced total porosity (8%), and macropores and large mesopores (28%). Maximum reduction (7%) in soil bulk density, and an increase (11%) in total soil porosity and available water (17%) was observed in plots where sesbania was incorporated as green manuring crop. The order of effectiveness in improving bulk density, macro and mesopores was sesbania > cluster bean > rice bean. Sesbania produced greater number of macro and large mesopores about 41% increase over control followed by cluster bean (29%) and rice bean (16%). Phosphorus application showed meager positive impact on various soil physical properties but did not significantly increased porosity or reduced bulk density. Significant differences in volume fraction in pore space suggest that pore space on a volume basis was much higher in sesbania-amended soil than in other treatments.
Vegetation survey of the lower and upper Suketar watershed was conducted to determine the vegetation cover, forage production and grazing capacity in protected and unprotected areas. Total vegetation cover was much higher inside the enclosures than outside. Forage production and grazing capacity was 4-40 times higher in protected areas than the areas open to grazing. It can be concluded that 3-4 years of protection can substantially increase the cover and forage yield and hence grazing capacity of the livestock.
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