The selection of the green manure as one of the techniques to be implemented during the development of the LIFE AMDRYC4 project for three years has had some interesting results that are already reflected both from the point of view of adaptation to climate change and mitigation. Thus, the cyclical application during each winter period of the sowing of legumes and cereals in doses of 80 tons per hectare in low-density areas, and 160 tons in high-density areas, yield interesting results during the three complete cycles from the start of the project, which includes sowing in winter, and mowing and subsequent burying during the summer or late spring.
The annual phytomass generated by green fertilization interventions has been quantified with an extractive sampling prior to its incorporation into the soil (June). Using a ring with a known area of 0.5 m2, 24 samples were taken, 6 in each of the 4 blocks, in which the content included within said ring was collected. In this way, the root, stems, leaves and fruits were extracted and transferred to the laboratory. Once there, they were weighed fresh using a dynamometer, a representative sample was taken and placed in an oven, and they were weighed dry to determine moisture using a precision balance.
In total, it is estimated that with a humidity of approximately 50%, the carbon content that varies depending on the location of the plot, supposes an annual sequestration of CO2 of around 6 tons of CO2 per direct hectare, which supposes a total of 1.7 tons of carbon per hectare, which will be progressively and partially incorporated into the soil after it is buried. In this way, the LIFE AMDRYC4 project provides data on the contribution of the measures to the contribution of the 4pormil initiative, to increase carbon in agricultural soils, also providing benefits and ecosystem services for soil fertilization and protection against erosion.