Summary
1. The common Indian green-manure cropCrotolaria juncea (sann hemp) was used for studying the biochemical and microbiological changes during its decomposition in a calcareous soil.
2. The composition of sann hemp plants at various stages of growth (3, 4, 5, and 7 weeks) has been reported and the course of decomposition of these plants was followed by measuring the losses undergone by major plant constituents and determining the variations in the number of micro-organisms both under optimum laboratory and field conditions.
3. The bacterial population registered a sudden increase in the beginning and a similar decrease later. With immature plants and during earlier stages of decomposition the bacterial number was high, whereas fungi and actinomycetes were more active with mature plants and during the later stages of decomposition utilizing the complex carbonaceous matter.
4. Proteins of young plants — 3 and 4 weeks old — mineralized rapidly and a considerable amount of total nitrogen was lost, whereas proteins of mature plants were not readily mineralized in which case little nitrogen was lost.
5. During the early periods of decomposition considerable amounts of water-soluble organic matter, pentosans, and cellulose were lost, while lignin, fats and waxes decomposed slowly.
6. The role of bacteria, actinomycetes, and fungi in the decomposition of various plant constituents has been discussed.
7. The decomposition of various plant constituents, nitrogen transformation and microbial activity under field and laboratory conditions has been compared and notable difference has been observed in the nature of the two processes.
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Ghildyal, B.P., Gupta, U.C. A study of the biochemical and microbiological changes during the decomposition ofCrotolaria juncea (sann hemp) at different stages of growth in soil. Plant Soil 11, 312–330 (1959). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01371731
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01371731