MP Board · Class 9 · Science · Improvement in Food ResourcesWhat is green manure? How does it help in enriching the soil with nutrients?

Green manure is a type of organic manure produced by growing specific cover crops primarily to add nutrients and organic matter to the soil. Before sowing the main crop seeds, plants like sun hemp or guar are grown and then mulched by ploughing them into the soil. These green plants decompose to turn into green manure, which enriches the soil primarily with nitrogen and phosphorus, thereby significantly improving soil fertility, structure, and water retention capacity.