Version 1
: Received: 30 May 2024 / Approved: 5 June 2024 / Online: 6 June 2024 (04:30:30 CEST)
How to cite:
Mahey, H. K.; Sharma, K.; Singh, A.; Rampal, V. K.; Kaushik, P. Green Manuring Crop Plants: Harnessing Natural Processes to Enhance Soil Health and Promote Sustainable Agricultural Practices. Preprints2024, 2024060340. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202406.0340.v1
Mahey, H. K.; Sharma, K.; Singh, A.; Rampal, V. K.; Kaushik, P. Green Manuring Crop Plants: Harnessing Natural Processes to Enhance Soil Health and Promote Sustainable Agricultural Practices. Preprints 2024, 2024060340. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202406.0340.v1
Mahey, H. K.; Sharma, K.; Singh, A.; Rampal, V. K.; Kaushik, P. Green Manuring Crop Plants: Harnessing Natural Processes to Enhance Soil Health and Promote Sustainable Agricultural Practices. Preprints2024, 2024060340. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202406.0340.v1
APA Style
Mahey, H. K., Sharma, K., Singh, A., Rampal, V. K., & Kaushik, P. (2024). Green Manuring Crop Plants: Harnessing Natural Processes to Enhance Soil Health and Promote Sustainable Agricultural Practices. Preprints. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202406.0340.v1
Chicago/Turabian Style
Mahey, H. K., Vipan Kumar Rampal and Prashant Kaushik. 2024 "Green Manuring Crop Plants: Harnessing Natural Processes to Enhance Soil Health and Promote Sustainable Agricultural Practices" Preprints. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202406.0340.v1
Abstract
The intensification of modern farming methods in developed nations has exacerbated the issue of soil degradation and over-utilization of naturally available resources, hence, tinkering negatively with the health and productive capacity of soil. Chemical fertilizers, while increasing crop yields, have resulted in environmental pollution and health hazards. Green manuring presents a sustainable alternative by enriching soil fertility and reducing reliance on chemical fertilizers. This paper reviews the impact of green manuring on soil properties, crop yield, and farm economies. In-situ green manuring involves growing and incorporating the crops within the field, while ex-situ green manuring incorporates plant material from external sources. Leguminous green manures are particularly effective owing to nitrogen fixation capability and rapid decomposition. The inclusion of green manure improves the availability of nutrients, microbial count and carbon content of the soil, thereby, enhancing the overall health of soil and crop productivity. Additionally, green manures reduce pests and diseases, suppress weeds, and provide supplementary forage. Despite the benefits, challenges such as limited water resources, seed availability, and farmer reluctance hinder widespread adoption. Future research should focus on raising awareness, quantifying benefits, and developing location-specific cropping systems to optimize green manuring practices.
Keywords
Soil degradation; Green manuring; Crop yield; Soil Health and Sustainability
Subject
Biology and Life Sciences, Agricultural Science and Agronomy
Copyright:
This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
