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Management of Biological Nitrogen Fixation for the Development of More Productive and Sustainable Agricultural Systems pp 181–194Cite as

Green manure technology: Potential, usage, and limitations. A case study for lowland rice

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Part of the book series: Developments in Plant and Soil Sciences ((BSPS))

Abstract

The growing concern about the sustainability of tropical agricultural systems stands in striking contrast to a worldwide decline in the use of soil-improving legumes. It is timely to assess the future role that soil-improving legumes may play in agricultural systems. This paper reviews recent progress, potential, and limitations of green manure technology, using lowland rice cropping systems as the example.

Only a few legume species are currently used as green manures in lowland rice. Sesbania cannabina is the most widely used pre-rice green manure for rice in the humid tropics of Africa and Asia. Astragalus sinicus is the prototype post-rice green manure species for the cool tropics. Stem-nodulating S. rostrata has been most prominent in recent research. Many green manure legumes show a high N accumulation (80–100 kg N ha-1 in 45–60 days of growth) of which the major portion (about 80%) is derived from biological N2 fixation. The average amounts of N accumulated by green manures can entirely substitute for mineral fertilizer N at current average application rates.

With similar N use efficiencies, green manure N is less prone to loss mechanisms than mineral N fertilizers and may therefore contribute to long-term residual effects on soil productivity.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. West Africa Rice Development Association (WARDA), BP 2551, Bouaké, Côte d’Ivoire

    M. Becker

  2. International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), PO Box 933, Manila, Philippines

    J. K. Ladha

  3. Asian Vegetable Research and Development Center (AVRDC), PO Box 42, Shanhua, Tainan, Taiwan, 74199

    M. Ali

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  1. M. Becker
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  2. J. K. Ladha
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  3. M. Ali
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J. K. Ladha M. B. Peoples

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Becker, M., Ladha, J.K., Ali, M. (1995). Green manure technology: Potential, usage, and limitations. A case study for lowland rice. In: Ladha, J.K., Peoples, M.B. (eds) Management of Biological Nitrogen Fixation for the Development of More Productive and Sustainable Agricultural Systems. Developments in Plant and Soil Sciences. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-0055-7_8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-0055-7_8

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-0-7923-3414-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-011-0055-7

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