Role of drip irrigation with different mulches in establishment grafted Dushehri mango (Mangifera indica L.) under rainfed areas in the lower Shivalik's of Punjab.
Aulakh P. S., Thind S. K., Baidwan R. P. S.
Author Affiliation: PAU, Regional Fruit Research Station, Abohar - 152 116, India.
Scientific Horticulture 10 : 99-102
Abstract : An experiment was conducted during 1995-96 to evaluate the effect of drip irrigation with different mulches, i.e. hoeing (control), residue, polythene and stone (pebble), on the survival and growth of mango under rainfed conditions in the lower Shivalik's of Punjab, India. Results revealed that among the different mulches, no significant effect on the survival of plants was observed. However, the average plant height and collar diameter were significantly higher under mulching treatment compared with the control. The pebble mulch was significantly superior to residue and polythene mulch in respect to plant height and collar diameter. The soil moisture profile recorded on different dates was ranked in the following order: residue > pebble > polythene > hoeing. The mango plants depleted more moisture from the 30 to 90-cm soil profile depth. The weeds recorded were 20, 36, 5 and 6 g/m2 in the case of hoeing, polythene, pebble and residue mulches, respectively. Approximately 65-70% water saving was observed in drip irrigation compared with conventional (basin) irrigation.