Green Manure as a Means to Sustain Sugercane Production in thailand

Abstract

Most sugarcane in the western sugarcane belt of Thailand is grown in silty clay lan soil. After planting with cane for a long period, this soil becomes compact, has a low infiltration rate and always has a suface crust. field trials, 15N tracer studies and microplot experiments were conducted at Suphan Buri field Crops Research Center during 1991 - 1993 to evaluate the benefit of green manuring in this soil. By using green manure the soil physical conditions and the organic matter level were improved. cane yield wee increased by using green manuring in combination with chemical fertilization. 15N studies indicated that the green manure contributed ca. 17% of the N taken up by the sugarcane.