Soil Properties Influenced by Green Manure and Nitrogen Management Under Rice (Oryza sativa L.)-Baby Corn (Zea mays L.) Cropping System

The experiment utilized a split plot design to investigate the effects of different types of green manures viz. Fallow, Eichhornia crassipes , Sesbania aculeata , and Sorghum bicolor ssp. drummondii Cyperales as the main plot treatments, and three nitrogen management treatments (50% urea and 50% FYM) at rates of 90 kg ha ^-1 (N60), 120 kg ha ^-1 (N80), and 150 kg ha ^-1 (N100) as the sub plot treatments on soil properties and crop production. Results indicated that Sesbania aculeata and N100 significantly enhanced biological yields, with increases in rice yields by 36.2% and 26.3%, and baby corn yields by 27.6% and 18.2% respectively, compared to fallow and N60 treatments. Moreover, Sesbania aculeata and N100 led to improvements in organic matter, soil microbial biomass carbon, fungal population, bacterial population, actinomycetes population, dehydrogenase activity, and urease activity compared to fallow and N60 treatments. These findings underscore the importance of soil properties in Sesbania aculeata and N100 integration, highlighting the need for further research on the long-term effects of green manures and nitrogen management on soil health and crop productivity.