Ryegrass was grown under greenhouse conditions in pots containing two types of calcareous soil. After 8 harvests, the soil was left in the pots for a simulated fallow period, then reseeded with ryegrass, from which 4 further harvests were obtained. The manganese (Mn) content in the soil samples, taken before seeding and after intensive cropping, was fractionated chemically and physically. Although different trends were apparent in the different fractions, ryegrass cropping enhanced the overall mobilization of soil Mn, which easily surpassed the cumulative Mn uptake. The organically bound Mn and clay‐associated Mn fractions released significant amounts of the element, whereas the behavior of exchangeable Mn, Fe‐oxide associated Mn and sand‐associated Mn fractions varied in the two different soils studied. The silt‐associated Mn fractions increased significantly in both soils.