**4.7 Role of legume crops in soil carbon sequestration**

Sequestration of soil organic carbon is one of the vital determinants of soil fertility, productivity, and quality. Crop residues increase carbon sequestration through decomposition of their residues. Increase in soil natural carbon stock improves soil tilth and workability, stabilizes soil aggregates, will increase soil water preserving and aeration, enhances buffering capacities, and improves availability of nutrients through breakdown of residues [34]. The soil organic carbon inventory depends on soil types, crop and residue management [35], fertilizer N input, and frequency and kind of cropping device [36]. In the agricultural fields, legume plants make contributions positively to the soil natural carbon stock, soil tilth, soil fertility, and universal soil sustainability. Legume-based cropping systems improve mixture balance and lengthen the nutrient dwelling time in soil through decreasing the mineralization rate. Biomass production can be expanded by legume based bi culture, a combination of legume with nonlegume species [8, 37].

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*Role of Legumes in Improving Soil Fertility Status DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.93247*

zero to several hundred kg N/ha.

mineral N fertilization.

**5. Importance of legumes**

**5.1 Legumes in human nutrition**

ranging from 17 to 40%.

vitamins (folic acid and diet B).

**5.2 Legumes for animal nutrition**

**4.8 Role of legume vegetation in improving the soil N pool**

Nitrogen is vital for the crop growth, solely to water and light. However, most vegetation depend on the consumption of soil N to meet their needs; most highly the legumes, are capable of N-fixation with the symbiotic relationship with rhizobia. The BNF benefits not only the legumes however also improves yield in succeeding crops, in agroforestry systems, and in legume-cereal intercropping system. The N quantity made available to cereal crop derives from the breakdown of legume-biomass residues. However, the affiliation of N tends to cross from crop containing enormously high N (i.e., legumes) to those with an increased N demand (nonlegume). An approach to raise N supply in cropping structures is the inclusion of N-fixing leguminous crops, which can grant N advantages to the vegetation thru N transfer. The extent of biologically fixed N/year by way of legumes varies significantly from

**4.9 Role of legumes in mitigating greenhouse gas and enhancing soil pleasant**

2.Have an essential role in the sequestration of carbon in soils.

3.Reduce the overall fossil power inputs in the system.

achieve protein stability and dietary improvement.

hoods of smallholder farmers round the world.

1.Lower the emission of greenhouse gases (GHG) such as carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrous oxide (N2O) compared with agricultural systems based totally on

Increased cultivation of legumes is integral for the regeneration of nutrientdeficient soils and for imparting wanted protein, minerals, and nutritional vitamins to human beings and livestock. Legumes can be an ability of improving the liveli-

• As a supply of protein, grain legumes (such as pigeon pea, chickpea, soybean or mung bean) are a true supply of protein, with a protein content material

By combining cereal and grain consumption, farmers and their families can

• As a supply of essential vitamins and minerals, legume seeds contain tremendous quantities of minerals (calcium, zinc, iron) and nutritional

Cereal crop residues supplemented with forage legumes notably increase normal animal productivity. For example, improved fowl egg production has been mentioned when pulse grains are protected in their feed. Adding the residue from legume flora into cattle forage can expand the digestibility and typical quality of

*Legume Crops - Prospects, Production and Uses*

**4.5 Role of legume crops on improving soil chemical properties**

by the CO2 produced in the process of decomposition [30].

**4.7 Role of legume crops in soil carbon sequestration**

culture, a combination of legume with nonlegume species [8, 37].

**4.6 Role of legume vegetation on enhancing soil microbial biomass**

Soil microorganisms have a necessary link between plant productiveness and soil nutrient availability as they are indirectly directly engaged in the nutrients cycling through the conversion of inorganic and organic types of nutrients [31]. Legumes are one of the necessary components to increase soil microbial biomass in soils. Legumes play a necessary function in SMB and energetic key strategies such as nutrient cycling and soil organic matter decomposition and, thus, improve crop productiveness and soil sustainability [32]. Some microorganisms which interact physically with leguminous vegetation in the rhizospheric zone can also enhance crop productivity positively by enhancing plant increase and development [33].

Sequestration of soil organic carbon is one of the vital determinants of soil fertility, productivity, and quality. Crop residues increase carbon sequestration through decomposition of their residues. Increase in soil natural carbon stock improves soil tilth and workability, stabilizes soil aggregates, will increase soil water preserving and aeration, enhances buffering capacities, and improves availability of nutrients through breakdown of residues [34]. The soil organic carbon inventory depends on soil types, crop and residue management [35], fertilizer N input, and frequency and kind of cropping device [36]. In the agricultural fields, legume plants make contributions positively to the soil natural carbon stock, soil tilth, soil fertility, and universal soil sustainability. Legume-based cropping systems improve mixture balance and lengthen the nutrient dwelling time in soil through decreasing the mineralization rate. Biomass production can be expanded by legume based bi

Soil chemical properties for sustainability are connected with the capability to provide vitamins for crop and retaining/denaturing hazardous chemical compounds or factors to the agroecosystem. Soil cation alternate capability (CEC), pH, nutrient levels, and soil organic carbon concentration are the primary chemical elements used toward the evaluation of soil fertility. Soil chemical properties have been associated with leguminous crops, and thus, the particulars of a soil property are easily interpreted and permit a rapid enhancement of the soil chemical properties through N-fixation and root biomass. Legume-based rotation induces modifications in the pH of the rhizosphere sector of soil. Root exudation of legumes and change or release of organic acids on the epidermal cell of root surfaces can also enhance P availability [27]. In addition, changes in pH are broadly recognized to affect the increase and undertaking of microorganisms [28], which are additionally necessary aspects in nutrient cycling processes. Leguminous green manure is a well-known generator of soil natural matter. Green manure, apart from increasing soil N, releases P, continues and renews the soil natural carbon, and improves soil chemical characteristics. Incorporation of legume residues is really useful to the soil for growing soil natural carbon awareness which is not only vital to agricultural productiveness however also to sequestration of C from atmospheric CO2 [29]. Observed that when leguminous cover plants are used as green manure and incorporated into the soil, their residues make bigger availability of N, P, K, and trace elements to the succeeding plants due to the lowering of the soil pH brought about

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