Moisture conservation and nitrogen recycling through legume mulching in rainfed maize (Zea mays)–wheat (Triticum aestivum) cropping system

Published source details Sharma a.R., Singh R., Dhyani S.K. & Dube R.K. (2010) Moisture conservation and nitrogen recycling through legume mulching in rainfed maize (Zea mays)–wheat (Triticum aestivum) cropping system. Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems, 87, 187-197.
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This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

	Action	Category
	Add mulch to crops Action Link
	Amend the soil with formulated chemical compounds Action Link

Add mulch to crops

A replicated experiment in 2000-2004 on fine loamy soil in Dehradun, India (Sharma et al. 2010) found that live mulching with sunnhemp Crotalaria juncea or leucaena Leucaena leucocephala increased soil moisture content by 6.8-8.8% compared to no mulching. Combining both sunnhemp and leucaena increased soil moisture by a further 2.1-2.3% and increased overall grain yield by 15% of both maize Zea mays and wheat Triticum aestivum. A maize crop was grown followed by a wheat crop. In each main crop were four treatments in 130 m² plots: no mulching (control), sunnhemp grown in situ (live mulching), leucaena prunings/twigs, and sunnhemp and leucaena combined. Each treatment had 29 m² subplots with fertilizer applied at a rate of 0, 30, 60 or 90 kg N/ha for maize, and 0, 40 or 80 kg/ha for wheat. There were four replications.
Amend the soil with formulated chemical compounds

A replicated experiment in 2000-2004 on fine loamy soil in Dehradun, India (Sharma et al. 2010) found that maize Zea mays yield increased from 1.2 to 2.1, 2.6 and 3.0 t/ha as nitrogen fertilizer rates increased from 0 to 30, 60, and 90 kg N/ha respectively. Wheat Triticum aestivum yields also increased with increased nitrogen fertilizer application (1.3, 2.1 and 2.8 t/ha for 0, 40 and 80 kg N/ha). Maize was grown followed by wheat and each crop had four mulching treatments in 130 m² plots: no mulching (control), sunnhemp Crotalaria juncea, leucaena Leucaena leucocephala prunings/twigs, and sunnhemp and leucaena combined. Each treatment had 29 m² subplots with fertilizer applied at a rate of 0, 30, 60 or 90 kg N/ha for maize, and 0, 40 or 80 kg/ha for wheat. There were four replications.