SHARMA, J.C.RANA, VISHAL2017-03-212017-03-212016http://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810005655ABSTRACT The present investigation entitled “Effect of mulching, NPK and irrigation levels on soil properties and growth of nectarine (Prunus persica Batsch var. nucipersica)” was carried out at the experimental farm of Department of Soil Science & Water Management, Dr Y S Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan, Himachal Pradesh, during the years 2015 and 2016. Twelve treatment combinations comprising three type of mulches viz. unmulched control (Mo), grass mulch (Gm) and black plastic mulch (Pm); two irrigation levels i.e. Iro (Rainfed control) and Ir1 (4 cm irrigation at 40% available moisture depletion level) and two nutrient levels i.e. N1 (100% of recommended dose of NPK) and N2 (75% of recommended dose of NPK) were replicated four times in a randomized block design (factorial). The results revealed that Gm maintained comparatively higher soil moisture contents before and after irrigation over Pm and Mo. Mulches favorably moderated soil temperature and Pm recorded highest maximum and minimum temperature during both the years of study and effectiveness of mulches in moderating soil temperature followed the order: Pm> Gm> Mo at 8:30 hrs and Pm> Mo> Gm at 14:30 hrs. Grass mulch recorded highest OC. Mulching along with irrigation and nutrient levels increased both leaf as well as soil nutrients (0-15 and 15-30 cm depths). Black plastic mulch with irrigation at 40% ASM and 100% of recommended dose of NPK recorded significantly higher contents of available N, P, K, Ca and S as well as leaf N, P and K. Plant growth parameters (annual shoot growth, plant height, plant girth and plant spread) were also recorded higher under PmIr1N1. Treatment combination MoIr1 recorded maximum water requirement (31.5 cm) and minimum was recorded under GmIr1 (18.4 cm). Grass mulch was found to be superior and saved 41.9 and 26.8 per cent of irrigation water over unmulched control (M0) and black plastic mulch (Pm), respectively.en---Thesis