The effects of green manure crops, hairy vetch and sesban, supplemented with HS (humic substance) on biological soil health indicators was studied in a pot containing two kinds of reclaimed soil previously contaminated with petroleum hydrocarbons; a soil remediated by land-farming (DDC) and another soil by low-temperature thermal desorption (YJ). Treatments include no plant (C), plants only (H), and plants+2% HS (PH), which were evaluated in a pot containing respective soil. Biological indicators include microbial community analysis as well as soil enzyme activities of dehydrogenase, β-glucosidase, N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase (NAG), acid/alkaline phosphatase, arylsulfatase, and urease. Results showed an increase of enzyme activities in pot soils with plants and even greater in soils with plants+HS. The enzyme activities of DDC soil with plants (DDC_P) and with plants+HS (DDC_PH) increased 1.6 and 3.9 times on average, respectively than those in the control. The enzyme activities YJ soil with plants (YJ_P) and with plant+HS (YJ_PH) increased 1.8 and 3.8 times on average, respectively than those in the control. According to microbial community analysis, the relative abundance of nitrogen-fixing bacteria in DDC and YJ soil was increased from 1.5% to 7% and from 0 to 5%, respectively, after planting hairy vetch and sesban. This study showed that mixed planting of green manure crops with a supplement of humic substance is highly effective for the restoration of biological health indicators of reclaimed soils.

Keywords: Green manure crop, Humic substance, Reclaimed soil, Soil enzyme, Soil health