ICAR-KVK Gonikoppal, Kodagu team visited the farmers fields to whom green manure seeds Cowpea, Sesbania, Dhaincha and Mucuna were distributed under the On-Farm Trial OFT titled Assessment of Green Manure Crops to Enhance Soil Fertility in Paddy at Hebbale, Kushalnagar as part of a follow-up visit. The team observed uniform germination across all fields with no incidence of pests or diseases at this stage. The farmers gave positive feedback regarding the biomass production of the green manure crops attributing it to timely sowing based on weather-based advisories and appropriate seed rates as recommended by the KVK.

The green manure crops will be incorporated and mulched into the soil at the 50 flowering stage which is considered the ideal time as the biomass is at its peak and the carbon-to-nitrogen CN ratio remains favourable for rapid decomposition. The main objective of this OFT is to evaluate which green manure crop most effectively improves soil conditions conducive to the subsequent paddy crop thereby positively influencing its yield.