---

ABSTRACT

One of the most common mainstays of the rural population for their livelihood is Agriculture which is also a major contributor to the Indian economy. Indian Agriculture is facing several challenges such as heavy use of fertilizer, pesticides, irrigation and several agricultural inputs to increase the yield of the crop, which are constantly degrading and polluting the quality of soil, water and our environment. Also, the application of excessive irrigation water causes the problems of soil erosion and salinity. The availability of water for agricultural use has also been decreasing day by day due to the increased demand of the industrial and domestic sectors particularly in developing countries. Improving the water use efficiency without increasing cost of production is for long an ongoing goal in crop production system. Here comes the role of mulching in crop production. Mulching not only helps in water conservation but can also reduce weed competition against vegetable crops.

Vegetable cultivation in India is affected by various pathogenic agents. Although the intervention of insecticides bring down the pest population but they have residual effect. The heavy uses of fertilizers and pesticides for increasing yield have been degrading soil and water. Insect vectors also have developed resistance against the pesticides. Resourceful and well-organized use of water in farm should be given the top most priority. In order to minimize degradation of soils, water and other natural resources and for environmental protection, we should adopt the conservation practices which are more essential to obtain sustained and consistent yields, conservation of soil, water and other natural resources. Mulching is one of the conservation practices by which these goals can be achieved. A variety of vegetables such as muskmelons, watermelons, squash, cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, okra and Cole crops have shown increased in earliness, total yield and quality. In a study, it was noted that the utilization of polyethylene mulch in combination with drip irrigation has played a major role in the increases in production of cucumber. The benefits recorded by the use of this method included earlier and higher yields, reduced fertilizer leaching, reduced soil evaporation, reduced weed populations, greater water use efficiency, reduced soil compaction, control of certain pests, and cleaner harvested product.

 What is Mulching?

Mulch is natural or artificial spread layer of plant residues or other synthetic material on the surface of the soil. It is simply a protective layer that is spread on the soil which provides a better growing environment for the crops. The important objectives of mulching in agriculture can be listed as moisture conservation, Temperature control, prevention of surface compaction, reduction of runoff and erosion, improvement in soil structure and weed control. Mulches are available in many forms but mainly they have been categorized into organic and inorganic mulch.

 

1.       Organic mulch

Organic mulches are those found in nature and can be broken down easily by soil organisms due to decomposition whereas, inorganic mulches are man-made material. Organic mulches include wood chips, hardwood and softwood bark, cocoa hulls, leaves, compost, newspaper, saw dust and variety products from plants. Organic mulch adds nutrients in the soil and helps increasing soil fertility. These are usually applied when the vegetable crop is well established and the soil has warmed to near-optimum temperatures. They are especially effective on weeds emerging from seed, and least effective on aggressive perennial weeds. This type of mulch is usually applied immediately after a final cultivation, which suppresses later-emerging weeds until the crop has passed through its minimum weed-free period. Generally they help in lowering soil temperatures and conserve soil moisture by slowing the evaporation rate while allowing rainfall to penetrate.

 

 

2.       Inorganic mulch

Inorganic mulch or synthetic mulch may include various types of stones, pulverized rubber, and plastic materials. The most widely used plastic mulch like black polyethylene film  or landscape fabric are laid on a prepared seedbed just before transplanting or seeding a vegetable crop through holes or slits cut into the mulch. In-row drip irrigation, lines under the mulch provide water and liquid fertilizers to the crop. Black plastic, other opaque materials and infrared-transmitting mulch are effective in blocking weed emergence, and promoting soil warming and early crop growth. A weed that grows out of the planting holes may require manual removal, and alleys between mulched beds generally need cultivation or other weed control measures. Reflective or colours synthetic mulches have been found to enhance the yields of certain crops by repelling pests or modifying the light environment around the crop. Inorganic mulches, like plastic sheets, are easy to handle and look a better option due to its durability, but are non-recyclable and are not environment-friendly. But these mulches do not decompose and do not play a role in improving soil structure or adding organic matter.

Advantages of mulching

 

·       Use of mulches prevents the soil erosion

·       They help moderate the soil temperature, and provide nutrients to the plants as it slowly decompose, giving plants a season-long feeding.

·       Application of mulch is the magic to any garden or orchard; it is very useful for garden or orchard in semi-arid and arid regions.

·       It works as an insulator which moderates the soil temperature during hot days and cold nights.

·       It enhances the beneficial microbial activity and helps in fighting disease.

·       It also restricts the evaporation of moisture from the field.

·       In addition to this, mulching practices also help to restore the soil health with its physical, chemical and biological properties, thus creating a suitable atmosphere for earthworms and other beneficial micro-organisms to grow on the soil.

·       Using mulch lowers the use of chemical weedicides.

·       Mulching helps in abating the influence of raindrops and water runoff on soil.

·       Soil warming under black or IRT plastic promotes early season growth and maturation in heat-loving crops, while the soil cooling effect of organic and reflective film mulches benefits the cool-season vegetable crops like potato, and can help most crops thrive during hot summer weather.

 Disadvantages of mulching

Despite of many benefits, mulching can also aggravate weed problems in some cases. Organic mulches, especially hay from off-farm sources, have the chances of carrying seeds of new weed species into the field. Organic mulch which is too thin to suppress weeds may allow weed emergence, then enhancing weed growth by conserving soil moisture. Aggressive perennial weeds can emerge through heavy (6 inch) organic mulch, thrive, and compete for moisture and nutrients intended for the crop. Weeds growing through mulch are more difficult to control mechanically, and may require special cultivators. Non-porous plastic mulches can hinder infiltration of rainfall or overhead irrigation into the crop root zone. Some water runs into planting holes, but much of it runs off the mulch into alleys and may not reach crop roots. Other disadvantages of synthetic mulches include the labour of end-of-season removal, the petroleum embodied in the mulch, generation of non-biodegradable waste, and the fact that synthetic mulches do not add organic matter or nutrients to the soil.

Conclusion

Thus mulching does play a significant role in improvising vegetable production. But firstly, knowledge about selection of suitable mulches is a must. A particular type of mulch is required when the objective is to conserve water and to protect from extreme temperatures but while protecting against insect vectors, silver colour reflective mulch is found to be beneficial. Thus, in addition to reducing weed seed germination and emergence, mulch can improve the growth and competitiveness of established crops by conserving soil moisture and modifying soil temperatures. Untimely mulching, or using the wrong mulch for a particular crop, can slow its growth and leave it more vulnerable to weed competition. Mulch materials with a high ratio of carbon to nitrogen (C: N ratio) have the potential to slow crop growth by immobilizing soil N. This is most likely to occur with finely divided materials (e.g., sawdust) or materials rich in soluble carbohydrates that can leach into the soil. Also by applying organic mulch around small, succulent lettuce, brassica, or other vegetable seedlings can result in defoliation by slugs or insects, leading to poor stands or delayed establishment. Thus mulching is a good practice and should be adopted by farmers.

---

Mulching Importance in creating better conditions for vegetable crop production - Copy_compressed.pdf