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ROLE OF MULCHING IN HORTICULTURAL CROPS

SUBMITTED BY : MRINALI KUMARI

BSA-10-633

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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 soilaround the plant with something beneficial for production.

• Mulching generally forms a protective layer around the plantfor 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 newplantation as it helps to conserve moisture in the root zoneof 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 naturalsubstance such as bark, wood chips, pineneedles, dry grasses, paddy straw, dry

leaves, saw dust, grass clipping, etc.• But organic mulch attract insects, slugs

and the cutworms that eat them. They getdecomposed easily and need frequent

replacement.


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Inorganic Mulch

• Inorganic mulches are extensively used incommercial agriculture.

• Plastic mulch is the most versatile of all inorganicmulches as it does not decompose easily.

• Polyethylene and polyvinyl chloride films too areused 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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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 onsoil surface and hinders the entry of sunlight and solar radiation.

• The impermeability of plastic film preventswater loss due to Evaporation.


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SOIL CONSERVATION

• Mulch protects the fertile top soilagainst erosion during rainfall andhelps in binding the soil particles by

plant root system.


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Soil temperature

• The fluctuation in soil temperatureduring day night is reducedsignificantly by application of mulch

in basin of the crops.


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Soil solarisation

• Soil solarisation is done with transparentplastic mulch to prevent the incidence of soil borne disease.

• Soil moisture and heat retained duringsolarisation kills the harmful soil bornepathogens.


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Weed control

• Almost all types of film mulchmaterials are effective for control of weeds.


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Protection againstDiseases/Disorders

• Spongy tissue in Alphonso and jelly seed inDashehari mango can be minimized by mulching.

• The mulch checks the convecting heat arisingfrom the soil during fruit maturity to some extentand minimized the disorders.

• In strawberry it protects the delicate fruits fromdirect soil contact to avoid infection.

• Application of reflective/ silverside mulchesreduces the chance of aphid infection.


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YIELD

• Plastic mulching has tremendous impact on yieldenhancement. Enhancement has been observedup to 64.24 per cent in fruit crops and 60.74percent in case of vegetables crops .

• Orchardist are benefitted by early production withimproved quality which fetches higher price in themarket.

• The maximum fruit retention, minimum fruit drop

and high yield in mango by mulching wasattributed largely to improve availability of soilmoisture during fruit growth.


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

Crop Unmulched Mulched % increase inyield

Guava 18.36 23.12 25.93

Mango 4.93 7.16 45.23

Papaya 73.24 120.29 64.24Banana 53.99 72.32 33.95

Litchi 111.0 125.0 12.61


Source : NCPAH , New delhi

NCPAH -NATIONAL COMMITTEE ON PLASTICULTURE APPLICATIONS IN HORTICULTRE

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