Assessment of Biomass Production for Green Manure in Short Rotation on Industrial Crops

Organic matter deficiency in agricultural soils is increasingly evident. In highly productive areas, it is complex to solve this problem without interrupting the productive cycle. The use of Brassicaceae selected for green manure techniques helps improve the physical, chemical, and biological fertility of soils. With this objective, a trial was established in the southeastern Po Valley (Ferrara, Italy) involving two varieties of Raphanus sativus and three varieties of Brassica juncea with a vegetative cycle of 70/80 days from sowing to soil-incorporation at full flowering stage. The trial was conducted in loose soils near the sea, using species from the Brassicaceae family. The trials were conducted at two farms that reflect the average production pattern in the area. The vegetative development of the test plants was monitored using NDVI satellite multispectral sensing, while the fresh biomass incorporated was measured at the conclusion of the trial. Under the experimental conditions, R. sativus varieties showed a higher fresh biomass production compared to B. juncea, while both species contributed relevant amounts of organic nitrogen potentially available for subsequent crops.