Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

STUDY OF SOIL MOISTURE DISTRIBUTION UNDER DIFFERENT MULCHING METHODS

Nitin M Changade and Raj Kumar

Abstract

Mulching techniques are used for the conservation of moisture beneath the root zone and to reduce the evaporation rate. Soil moisture distribution under the mulching techniques is also important for good crop growth and root development. Soil water movement is dependent on the physical properties of water as well as equally depends on the conservation techniques. The present study was carried out in the School of Agriculture, Lovely professional university to study the soil moisture distribution under different mulching treatments. The four mulching methods and one no mulch technique were used as a conservation technique and moisture content were measured at 5, 10, 15, and 20 cm depth vertically and the same distance laterally. From the experiment, the results showed that the black and silver plastic mulch conserved maximum average moisture content (22.33 and 22.67 %) up to 20 cm depth. The lateral and vertical water movement in plastic mulch was superior to the no mulch technique. Minimum soil moisture content (15.26 %) was recorded in the soil mulch technique at 5 cm depth and it decreases as the lateral distance increases from the emitter. Paddy straw mulching technique conserved better moisture at depth 0-10 cm compared to no mulch and soil mulch technique.