RAINFALL CHARACTERISTICS INDUCED SOIL MOISTURE AVAILABILITY UNDER ORGANIC MULCHING IN RAINFED AREA OF SOUTHERN KARNATAKA
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Date
2020-11-09
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University of Agricultural Sciences GKVK, Bangalore
Abstract
A field experiment was conducted at College of Agricultural Engineering, University of Agricultural Sciences, GKVK, Bengaluru during kharif 2019 to study the “Rainfall characteristics induced soil moisture availability under organic mulching in rainfed area of southern Karnataka”. The experiment was laid out in Randomised Complete Block Design with seven treatments replicated thrice. Growing maize crop in dry leaves mulching resulted in better soil moisture content 24.07, 25.13, 18.73, 18.90, 24.07, 22.13, 21.70, 21.23, 21.00 20.73 and 20.10 per cent at 0-15 cm depth and 24.83, 27.48, 21.07, 20.87, 24.83, 23.40, 22.90, 22.57, 22.10, 21.80 and 21.17 per cent at 15-30 cm depth at 30, 37, 44, 51, 58, 65, 72, 79, 86, 93 and 100 DAS respectively. After crop harvest, the higher infiltration rate (5.79) cm hr-1 with lower bulk density (1.43 g cc-1), plant growth and yield of maize (7228 kg ha-1), higher gross returns (Rs.86745 ha-1 ), net returns (Rs.56556 ha-1 ) and B:C ratio (2.87) was documented under mulching with dry leaves. It can be inferred from the experimentation that mulching with dry leaves in maize crop at 30 DAS can be enhanced significantly with higher economics/returns in maize besides, increased soil moisture availability, infiltration rate and improved soil fertility.