Green Manure: Can Dhaincha Help Farmers Improve Soil Before the Next Crop?

Green manure means growing a crop mainly to return it to the soil instead of harvesting it. Farmers can grow crops such as dhaincha and incorporate the green biomass into the field. This practice adds organic matter and supports nutrient cycling before the main crop is planted.

Dhaincha, commonly known as Sesbania, is one of the green manure crops used in Indian agriculture. It grows quickly and can produce substantial biomass in suitable conditions. Farmers can incorporate the crop into the soil before flowering, allowing the plant material to decompose and release nutrients.

ICAR has continued to promote green manuring as part of soil-health management. During its 2026 Khet Bachao Abhiyan, ICAR highlighted green manure along with compost, vermicompost, biofertilisers and integrated nutrient management as practices that can help maintain soil fertility.

One benefit of green manure is that it returns plant material to the field instead of removing all biomass after harvest. As the material decomposes, it contributes organic matter to the soil. This can support soil structure and nutrient cycling when combined with balanced crop management.

Green manure can also become part of a wider crop rotation. Farmers can grow a suitable green manure crop during an available window between major crops. The timing will depend on rainfall, irrigation, soil type and the sowing date of the following crop.

ICAR programmes have also encouraged farmers to include pulses and green manure crops in cropping systems. These practices can improve nutrient cycling while adding diversity to fields. Farmers should select crops according to local recommendations rather than treating one green manure species as suitable everywhere.

How Dhaincha Can Fit Into Farming

Dhaincha can be useful where farmers have a suitable window before the next crop. After enough biomass develops, farmers can incorporate the crop into the soil using suitable farm equipment. The crop then decomposes, adding organic material that becomes part of the soil nutrient cycle.

Farmers should plan incorporation carefully. If green biomass is incorporated too close to sowing, decomposition may interfere with field preparation or the establishment of the following crop. Local KVK experts can advise farmers about suitable sowing, incorporation and crop-rotation schedules.

Green manure should not be seen as a complete replacement for soil testing or fertiliser recommendations. ICAR has stressed soil-test-based balanced fertilisation and integrated nutrient management. Farmers can combine organic inputs with recommended nutrients according to crop requirements and soil conditions.

Green manure can reduce the need to purchase some organic material because farmers grow the biomass on their own land. But the economics depend on seed cost, irrigation, labour, machinery and the length of the fallow window. Farmers should calculate these costs before adopting the practice.

Natural farming programmes also focus on reducing dependence on purchased inputs. Under the National Mission on Natural Farming, the government supports farmers through clusters, training and an output-based incentive for eligible natural farming practices. As of March 2026, 18.19 lakh farmers had enrolled under the mission.

The government reported further expansion during financial year 2025–26. A September 2026 PIB update said 18,893 natural farming clusters covering 10.32 lakh hectares had been formed, involving 20.93 lakh farmers. More than 22.47 lakh farmers had also registered under the Natural Farming Certification System.

Green Manure And Climate-Resilient Farming

Healthy soils can help farms manage water and weather stress better, although green manure alone cannot prevent crop losses caused by drought, floods or extreme temperatures. It works best as one part of a wider soil-management plan that includes appropriate crops, irrigation and balanced nutrient use.

ICAR’s 2026 programmes have linked natural farming, green manuring, soil-health management and climate-resilient agriculture. Farmers are being encouraged to combine these approaches with crop diversification and better resource management rather than depending on a single farming practice.

For farmers considering dhaincha, the first step is to check whether they have a suitable sowing window before the next crop. They should ask their nearest KVK about the recommended seed rate, sowing time and incorporation stage for their soil and cropping system.

Green manure is a relatively simple practice, but its value depends on timing and proper management. Growing dhaincha or another suitable crop, returning the biomass to the soil and following soil-test-based nutrient recommendations can help farmers build a more balanced soil-management system over time.