Effect of soil solarization using ldpemulch on moisture conservation and soil temperature variation
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Date
1997
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Department of Land and Water Resources and Conservation Engineering, Kelappaji College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, Tavanur
Abstract
Soil solarization is based on mulching the soil surface
with transparent polyethylene sheets which capture the solar
radiation and thus heat the soil to a level lethal for various
pests. Solarization is useful in the control of weeds and
also helps in moisture conservation. To some extent this can
satisfy the demand of water for pre sowing irrigation during
the summer months by conserving the moisture in the soil. In
the experiment two types of polyethylene sheets (0.10 mm and
0.05 mm) were used and three durations of solarization, i.e.,
30 days, 40 days and 50 days were tried. A crop (bhindi) was
sown in the area after the solarization period to know the
effect of solarization on its performance.
The average maximum soil temperature at 5 cm depth
obtained in the non-solarized plots was 49.5°C only, but in
solarized plots it went upto 56.5°C. The magnitude of rise in
soil temperature of solarized treatments was higher due to
0.05 TP than 0.10 TP. The intensity of solar radiation
reaching the soil surface was significantly higher in the
non-solarized plots than in the solarized plots. There was
significant increase in the moisture content values in the
solarized plots compared to the non solarized plots at 5, 10
and 15 cm depth below the soil surface. The moisture content
values in 0.05 TP solarized plots were slightly higher than
in 0.10 TP solarized plots, but was not significant. In the
solarized treatments, there was 37.9, 33.7 and 38.3 per cent
increase in the moisture content values at 5, 10 and 15 cm
depths respectively. Solarization also had significant effect
in lowering the weed count as well as the dry weight of the
weeds for around 5 months after the period of solarization.
The yield of bhindi was significantly higher in the solarized
treatments than in the non-solarized treatments. This
increase in the yield of bhindi may be due to the drastic
reduction in weed count and dry weight on account of
solarization.
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Citation
171197