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Field experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of summer green manuring crops (SGMCs) and zinc (Zn) fertilization on soil biological properties, nutrient dynamics and productivity of Basmati rice, during summer–rainy (kharif, April–November) seasons of 2008 and 2009 at the research farm of the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi. Among the SGMCs, Sesbania aculeata added the highest crop residue, i.e. 38.56tha⁻¹ leading to recycling of 180.5, 22.6 and 267.8kgN, P, K ha⁻¹ (mean of 2years). Incorporation of S. aculeata also led to a significant increase in the succeeding Basmati rice grain yield which was 2.38%, 4.14%, and 10.82% higher over cowpea, mungbean and summer fallow, respectively. Among the different sources, levels and methods of Zn application, application of 2.0% Zn-enriched urea (ZEU) as ZnSO₄·H₂O was found to be best with respect to total uptake of N, P, K and …