Effect of Green Manuring Crops on Carbon Mineralization, Dehydrogenase and β-Glucosidase Activities in Inceptisols

Abstract

Pot culture and incubation studies were conducted to assess the carbon mineralization and soil enzyme activities with green manure crop residue in Inceptisols. The studies were undertaken with six green manure crop residues viz., sunhemp (Crotolaria juncea), cluster bean (Cymopsis tetragonaloba), cow pea (Vigna unguiculata), mutant dhaincha (Sesbania rostrata), green gram (Vigna mungo) and soybean (Glycine max L. Merrill) which were grown up to 50 per cent flowering in the pot along with control at Division of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, College of Agriculture, Pune during 2020-21 in completely randomized design with three replications. Carbon mineralization and soil enzyme activities i.e. dehydrogenase and β- glucosidase were studied by incorporating green manure crop residues in soil. In the incubation study, the mutant dhaincha recorded significantly higher release of CO2-C throughout the incubation period than othertreatments. The rate of release of CO2-C was slow at 0 and 15 days after incubation but increased at 45 days after incubation and thereafter, gradual decline in all green manures incorporated treatments was observed. Higher dehydrogenase and β- glucosidase activity were recorded in sun hemp treated pots.