Crop productivity and soil properties as affected by polyethylene film mulch and land configurations in groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.)

Abstract

Field experiments were conducted at Regional Research Station, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Vridhachalam, India, during autumn 1999 and winter 2000 using groundnut to examine the effect of different colours of polyethylene film mulch on crop yield and soil properties. The results of the experiment conducted with different colours of polyethylene film mulch (black, transparent white and non-mulched control) and three land configurations (flat bed, ridges and furrows and broad bed and furrows) indicated that irrespective of the colours, polyethylene film mulch significantly increased the soil micro-organisms at all stages of observation during both seasons except for bacterial population, which was significantly higher under non-mulched control during the winter season. The soil physical properties such as rate of water loss/day, soil bulk density, percentage of pore space and hydraulic conductivity were also favourably influenced by the polyethylene film mulch. The data on soil available nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (NPK), showed that effect of polyethylene film mulch was significant at 30 DAS and not during later stages during both the seasons. Similarly the evolution of carbon dioxide (CO2) (soil respiration) was also significantly improved by polyethylene film mulch. The effect of land configuration was not significant for most of the parameters observed except for bulk density and pore space during winter seasons. With regard to yield parameters and yield, in both the seasons, white polyethylene film mulch out yielded other treatments in terms of groundnut pod yield. However the performance of white polyethylene film mulch was comparable with black polyethylene film mulch during winter 2001 – 2002 seasons. Among the land configurations, the results of yield components and yield were in favour of flat bed during both the seasons of study.