Green Manure For Increasing Yield Of Rice Crop, Green Economy And Sustainable Environment
Abstract
One of the most important cereal grown in the Eastern Vidarbha zone of Central India is rice (Ozyza sativa L.) belonging to family Poaceae. The rice grains contain carbohydrate 79.2%, protein 6.9%, fat 0.4%, mineral matter and other elements. Therefore it is also used for making beaten rice (poha), parched rice (murmura) and parched paddy ( lahi). Over the past 30 years, the total amount of food grains in the world have increased at a faster rate than the population growth rate due to tremendous use of chemical fertilizers, introduction of high yielding and disease resistant varieties, increased use of synthetic pesticides, herbicides and rodenticides. No doubt, crop production is increased tremendously but negative impacts are seen in the form of great environmental degradation and our soils are becoming impoverished day by day due to repeated cropping without replenishment.
Green manuring is a well known and time tested age old traditional practice in organic farming in India. It consists of decomposition of the green plant material found in the farm which is utilized for the benefits of succeeding main crop. In India where soils are deficit in micronutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium and organic matter and humus is lost due to rapid oxidation, practice of green manuring is very essential and can be practiced easily for maintaining soil fertility. It is the cost effective and suitable method to renew soil fertility.