ROLE OF MULCHING IN HORTICULTURAL CROPS

SUBMITTED BY : MRINALI KUMARI BSA-10-633

TYPES OF MULCH
BASICALLY TWO TYPES OF MULCHES ARE USED : 1. ORGANIC MULCH 2. INORGANIC MULCH

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WHAT IS MULCHING ??
Mulching in common parlance means covering the soil around the plant with something beneficial for production. Mulching generally forms a protective layer around the plant for the benefit of its growth and productivity by modifying in the soil micro climate. It also helps in improving the overall plant health. Mulching is also an important practice for establishing new plantation as it helps to conserve moisture in the root zone of the new plant until the roots have grown out into the surrounding soil

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TYPES OF MULCH
1. ORGANIC MULCH 2. IN ORGANIC MULCH

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Organic Mulch
An organic mulch is made up of natural substance such as bark, wood chips, pine needles, dry grasses, paddy straw, dry leaves, saw dust, grass clipping, etc. But organic mulch attract insects, slugs and the cutworms that eat them. They get decomposed easily and need frequent replacement.

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Inorganic Mulch
Inorganic mulches are extensively used in commercial agriculture. Plastic mulch is the most versatile of all inorganic mulches as it does not decompose easily. Polyethylene and polyvinyl chloride films too are used as mulch materials. Plastic film mulches, low density polyethylene (LDPE) or linear low density polyethylene (LLDP), are available in different types of thickness, widths and colours in the market.

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TIME OF MULCHING
The best time to mulch a crop is just after planting as it checks the germination of weeds. In vegetable crop mulching should be done at the time of bed preparation but in fruit crops it should be done before planting of the tree. In case of establish orchard mulching can be done in the month of October.

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ADVANTAGES OF MULCHING
1. MOISTURE CONSERVATION 2. SOIL CONSERVATION 3. SOIL TEMPERATURE 4. SOIL SOLARISATION 5. WEED CONTROL 6. PROTECTION TO DISEASE OR DISORDER

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MOISTURE CONSERVATION
Mulch material forms an insulated layer on soil surface and hinders the entry of sunlight and solar radiation. The impermeability of plastic film prevents water loss due to Evaporation.

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SOIL CONSERVATION
Mulch protects the fertile top soil against erosion during rainfall and helps in binding the soil particles by plant root system.

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Soil temperature
The fluctuation in soil temperature during day night is reduced significantly by application of mulch in basin of the crops.

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Soil solarisation
Soil solarisation is done with transparent plastic mulch to prevent the incidence of soil borne disease. Soil moisture and heat retained during solarisation kills the harmful soil borne pathogens.

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Weed control
Almost all types of film mulch materials are effective for control of weeds.

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Protection against Diseases/Disorders

Spongy tissue in Alphonso and jelly seed in Dashehari mango can be minimized by mulching. The mulch checks the convecting heat arising from the soil during fruit maturity to some extent and minimized the disorders. In strawberry it protects the delicate fruits from direct soil contact to avoid infection. Application of reflective/ silverside mulches reduces the chance of aphid infection.

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YIELD
Plastic mulching has tremendous impact on yield enhancement. Enhancement has been observed up to 64.24 per cent in fruit crops and 60.74 percent in case of vegetables crops . Orchardist are benefitted by early production with improved quality which fetches higher price in the market. The maximum fruit retention, minimum fruit drop and high yield in mango by mulching was attributed largely to improve availability of soil moisture during fruit growth.

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Increase in yield of crops after mulching yield ( t/ha)

Crop Guava Mango Unmulched 18.36 4.93 Mulched 23.12 7.16 % increase in yield 25.93 45.23

Papaya
Banana Litchi

73.24
53.99 111.0

120.29
72.32 125.0

64.24
33.95 12.61 Source : NCPAH , New delhi

NCPAH -NATIONAL COMMITTEE ON PLASTICULTURE APPLICATIONS IN HORTICULTRE

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