Influence of mulching on soil moisture retention, weed dynamics and productivity of pigeonpea [Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.]

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted to study the influence of mulching on soil moisture retention, weed dynamics and productivity of pigeonpea [Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.] at Instructional Farm of College of Agriculture, Vijayapura,during kharif- 2023. The experiment was laid out in RCBD with three replications. The experiment consisted of 10treatments involving mulching with in situ sunhemp, bajra, cowpea and greengram at 50 DAS, respectively, ex situ mulchingwith glyricidia, subabul, pongamia at 10 t ha-1, respectively. Dust mulching, Black polyethylene film (30 micron) andcontrol (without mulching). Among the different mulching treatments, significantly higher soil moisture content (%) wasrecorded with the use of black polyethylene film as compared to all other treatments except in situ sunhemp mulching at 50DAS. Use of black polyethylene film recorded significantly lower weed density as compared to all other treatments. Amongthe different mulching treatments, significantly higher seed yield (1934 kg ha-1), stalk yield (4727 kg ha-1) was recorded withthe use of black polyethylene film as compared to all other treatments except the treatment in situ sunhemp mulching at 50DAS. Significantly higher net return (`101347 ha-1) was recorded with the treatment in situ sunhemp mulching at 50 DASas compared to all other treatments except use of black polyethylene film. In situ sunhemp mulching at 50 DAS wasrecorded significantly higher benefit cost ratio (3.72) as compared to all other treatments. The lower seed yield, net returnand benefit cost ratio was recorded with control (without mulching) due to higher weed density and lower soil moistureretention as compared to all other treatments.