Impact of green manure and mineral fertilizer inputs on soil organic matter and crop productivity in a sloping landscape of Sri Lanka

Egodawatta, W. C. P.; Sangakkara, U. R.; Stamp, P.

doi:10.1016/j.fcr.2012.01.010

Cited by 41 publications

(26 citation statements)

References 43 publications

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“…Across farms for each range of inclination and mineral nutrient fertilization, the high impact of NPK and PK indicates that the chemical soil fertility was not exploited at ZERO, so that there is considerable room for increasing yield when and if it becomes economically feasible in the future. Confirming a report by FAO (2006), nitrogen was a key factor in achieving higher yields; this was corroborated too for more fertile home gardens at much greater inclinations (Wijesinghe et al, 2009;Egodawatta et al, 2012). However, even a high rate of N was not enough to elevate yields on farms at Moderate compared to yield at Flat, which was especially pronounced in the rather dry second season.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 64%

“…Neither P and K nor N were sufficiently increased with the application of Gliricidia during the vegetative growth of these crops, even though the addition of Gliricidia should have resulted in the release of more than one third of the mineral N. Only at Zero was the relative response to G Yes higher, but since the absolute yield increase in comparison to NPK and PK was lower, the direct utilization of the nutrient contents in the green manure was clearly insufficient. In a parallel study, the maize yield of fields at selected farms was compared to the yields achieved in home gardens, which had received large amounts of organic manure, including Gliricidia, over long periods of time (Egodawatta et al, 2012). The higher yield potential of homegardens was probably due, not only to mineral fertilizers and the seasonal application of Gliricidia manure, but also to a generally greater fertility of the soil.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Initially, 27 farms at steeper inclinations were measured as well, but the cultivation practises often differed from those in the Flat and Moderate categories. Anyhow, sustainable arable cropping cannot be recommended for those steep areas (Egodawatta et al, 2012). Based on the use of Gliricidia, a tree legume crop, farms were further categorized as "G YES" and "G NO", depending on whether or not Gliricidia green manure was applied during cropping.…”

Section: Study Area and Experimental Sitesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In a recent study, 30 twinned focal points, i.e. a homegarden with long-term intensive application of green manure and a field, were compared with regard to the content of soil organic matter and maize yield (Egodawatta et al, 2012). Both parameters were much higher in homegardens than in fields, revealing that the annual application of Gliricidia green manure together with mineral fertilizer increased yields mostly in homegardens.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Yield Responses of Maize to Organic and Mineral Fertilizers at Different Inclinations in Tropical Smallholder Farming Systems

Egodawatta¹,

Stamp²,

Sangakkara³

2013

JAS

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A field study was conducted on the potential of Gliricidia (Gliricidia sepium (Jacq.) Kunth ex Walp.) to enhance productivity of degraded soils. Maize was cropped in a hilly region of Sri Lanka with and without the recommended mineral fertilization, in two major seasons, October-January in 2007/8 (Year 1) and in 2008/9 (Year 2) on 92 farms at two inclinations: Flat (0-10%) and Moderate (10-30%). On half the farms, green manure (Gliricidia leaves) was added (3 tonnes per hectare per season). NPK boosted production to a very respectable mean grain yield of 4.2 t/ha on Flat farms. At ZERO, the yield was lower by 60%, irrespective of the inclination. Gliricidia failed to replace the required nitrogen, even with an adequate supply of phosphorous and potassium (PK). In contrast, together with NPK, Gliricidia increased yields by 15-20% compared to NPK alone, while the gain was 35% at ZERO. Fields in the Moderate category were more responsive to green manure and mineral fertilizers. The high response to mineral fertilizers indicated that the degradation of the soils resulted to a greater extent in chemical rather than in physical deficits. But intensive cropping reduced the soil organic matter within two years, to some extent slowed down by Gliricidia green manure. Therefore an intense cropping for the sake of food security must be accompanied by soil conserving cropping systems.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 64%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Study Area and Experimental Sitesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Yield Responses of Maize to Organic and Mineral Fertilizers at Different Inclinations in Tropical Smallholder Farming Systems

Egodawatta¹,

Stamp²,

Sangakkara³

2013

JAS

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“…In addition, the high organic matter input of pig slurry and green manures of 8 years had no effect on soil total carbon (Debosz et al, 1999). The reason may be that the amount of organic matter accumulation in soil can vary depending mainly on decomposition rate and the type of green manures (Egodawatta et al, 2012). Also, green manure decomposition and subsequent nutrients release depend largely on soil physical (moisture, temperature, texture, mineralogy and acidity), chemical (C/N ratio, presence of nutrients) and biological activity (Myers et al, 1994).…”

Section: Soil Organic Mattermentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of green manures during fallow on moisture and nutrients of soil and winter wheat yield on the Loss Plateau of China

2018

Emir J Food Agric

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The application of catch crops as a green manure can enhance soil fertility owing to improving soil nutrients. We conducted one year field experiment to evaluate the effect of catch crops [Rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) under different sowing rates and Soy bean (Glycine max L.)] with biological organic fertilizer 1,500 kg/ha on wheat yield and soil nutrients. The green manures were sown on 3 th July 2015 during summer fallow. At the beginning, there were five treatments as follows: R1 (Rapeseed and sowing rate was 7.5 kg/ha); R2 (Rapeseed and sowing rate was 15 kg/ha); R3 (Rapeseed and sowing rate was 22.5 kg/ha); S (Soy bean and sowing rate was 105 kg/ha); C (Control was bare field). Every green manure treatment was split into two treatments on 27 th September 2015. One treatment we turned the above ground biomass of green manure into the soil. And another treatment we harvested the above ground biomass of green manure. The above ground biomass turned into soil treatments were G1, G3, G5 and G7. The above ground biomass harvested treatments were G2, G4, G6 and G8. The treatment C was still the bare field. Soil samples were taken twice to measure soil moisture and nutrients at two stages. One stage was in autumn before winter wheat sowing and another stage was in next year summer after wheat harvest. The significantly highest 1,000-grain weight and grain yield belonged to the treatment C, which were 10.69%-36.87% and 16.86%-72.5% higher than that of the green manures treatments. After wheat harvest, the 0-20 cm soil available N and total N of G7 were 51.40%-20.45% and 95.12%-125.35% significantly better than that of other treatments. The significantly highest soil total P of 0-20 cm belonged to G3 after wheat harvest, which was 25%-45.83% better than other treatments. Before wheat sowing, the treatment C kept the significantly lowest soil available K of five layers. The 0-20 cm and 20-40 cm soil organic matter of the treatment S was 40.28%-71.12% and 53.92%-122.67% significantly higher than other treatments before wheat sowing. Therefore, growing rapeseed and soy bean during summer fallow in this region significantly reduced 1,000-grain weight and grain yield of subsequent winter wheat. But the incorporation of green manures improved the soil nutrients to some extent Abstract: The application of catch crops as a green manure can enhance soil fertility owing to improving soil nutrients. We conducted one year field experiment to evaluate the effect of catch crops [Rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) under different sowing rates and Soy bean (Glycine max L.)] with biological organic fertilizer 1,500 kg/ha on wheat yield and soil nutrients. The green manures were sown on 3 th July 2015 during summer fallow. At the beginning, there were five treatments as follows: R1 (Rapeseed and sowing rate was 7.5 kg/ha); R2 (Rapeseed and sowing rate was 15 kg/ha); R3 (Rapeseed and sowing rate was 22.5 kg/ha); S (Soy bean and sowing rate was 105 kg/ha); C (Control was bare field). Every green manure treatment was split into two treatments ...

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Comparison of soil microbial community and physicochemical properties between rice–fallow and rice–bean (green manure) rotation

Bai

Chu

et al. 2022

Soil Science Soc of Amer J

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Rice (Oryza sativa L.)–fallow and rice–green manure rotation are two common ecological rotation modes in the Lower reaches of the Yangtze River Basin. In this study, based on a long‐term positioning field experiment, soil microbial community structure (bacteria and fungi) and physicochemical properties were investigated and compared to comprehensively evaluate the effects of rice–fallow (RF) and rice–bean (Vicia faba L.) (green manure, RB) rotation on soil health, thus providing scientific basis for the utilization mode of paddy field in winter. The results showed that (a) compared with RF, the contents of soil organic matter (SOM), humic acid (HA), total N, and soil alkaline phosphatase in RB were significantly enhanced by 33.84, 71.04, 35.48, and 54.38%, respectively (p < .01); available K content in RF was increased by 22.84% compared with RB (p < .01); (b) the soil macroaggregates with a diameter more than 0.25 mm (R0.25), mean weight diameter, and geometric mean diameter (GMD) in RB treatment were significantly higher than those of RF by 112.67, 60.25, and 64.88%, respectively (p < .05); (c) different rotations altered bacterial community structure significantly, but exhibited less effect on that of fungi; bulk density, pH, GMD, SOM, and HA were the key environmental factors shaping the bacterial and fungal community structure. The alteration of specific bacterial and fungal taxa revealed that RB had a more promising potential to promote crop growth and improve organic matter decomposition. Therefore, rice–green manure rotation demonstrated a stronger positive effect on soil physicochemical and microbial properties.

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Impact of green manure and mineral fertilizer inputs on soil organic matter and crop productivity in a sloping landscape of Sri Lanka

Cited by 41 publications

References 43 publications

Yield Responses of Maize to Organic and Mineral Fertilizers at Different Inclinations in Tropical Smallholder Farming Systems

Yield Responses of Maize to Organic and Mineral Fertilizers at Different Inclinations in Tropical Smallholder Farming Systems

Effects of green manures during fallow on moisture and nutrients of soil and winter wheat yield on the Loss Plateau of China

Comparison of soil microbial community and physicochemical properties between rice–fallow and rice–bean (green manure) rotation

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