Soil Characteristics of Newly Reclaimed Tidal Land and Its Changes by Cultivation of Green Manure Crops

This study was conducted to investigate the soil characteristics of newly reclaimed tidal land and the effect of green manure crops on soil properties. Summer green manure crops such as sesbania (Sesbania grandiflora), barnyard grass (Echinochloa spp.) and sorghum${\times}$sudangrass hybrid (Sorghum bicolor L.) were cultivated at Hwaong, Ewon, Saemangeum and Yongsangang area. Soil pH of reclaimed tidal land was relatively high, but organic matter and available phosphorus contents were lower compared to the optimum range for common upland crops. Soil nutrient contents were unbalanced for upland crop growth. Yield of green manure crops had a wide spatial variation. Nitrogen content in green manure crops was the greater in Sesbania and it was estimated that major nutrient ($N-P_2O_5-K_2O$) supply amount were 150-40-370, 220-50-170 and 140-50-250 $kg\;ha^{-1}$ from sorghum${\times}$sudangrass hybrid, sesbania and barnyard grass, respectively. Based on these results, desalination is required to grow the upland crops at newly reclaimed tidal lands and management practices are necessary to reduce the salt damage by resalinization during the growing seasons. To improve the productivity and increase the nutrient utilization rate, soil physicochemical properties need to be improved to the level for upland crops by application of organic matter and fertilizer.