Effect of Green Manure on Soil Organic Matter and Some Growth Indices of Maize (Zea mays L.) in Rafsanjan Region

In order to investigate the impact of green manure on soil organic matter contents and some growth indices of forage maize (Zea mays L.), a field experiment was conducted as complete randomized blocks design with two factors and four replications at farm of Abbas Abad Agriculture School of Rafsanjan, Iran. Factors included rocket plant (Eruca sativaL.), chikling vetch (Lathyrus sativusL.), combination of rocket and chickling vetch as green manure plants and fallow (control), and nitrogen levels (60 and 180 kg.ha-1). Seeds of plants were sown at middle of autumn and completely ploughed and buried at flowering time in late winter. Three weeks later, forage maize was sown. Results showed that both rocket plant and rocket plant- chickling vetch combination had higher biomass compared to chikling vetch alone, however rocket plant and chickling vetch significantly increased soil organic matter contents compared to fallow conditions. On the other hand, sowing rocket plant significantly increased leaf area index and crop growth rate of maize 50 days after sowing, but nitrogen had significant effect of maize only two weeks later, biological yield of maize was significantly higher than control with 60 Nkg.ha-1 after rocket plant and chickling vetch. It seems that positive effects of these plants as green manure may be limited to early growth stages of maize.