Effect of Mulching on Soil Temperature and Moisture Regime on Emergence, Growth and Yield of White Yam in a Tropical Wet-and-Dry Climate

Eruola A O,Bello N J,Ufoegbune G C,Makinde A A

doi:10.5923/j.ijaf.20120201.15

Abstract

An on-farm yam experiment was conducted to study the effect of mulching on soil temperature and moisture regime on white yam (Dioscorea rotundata) growth and yield in Abeokuta, South-western Nigeria. Three mulching options (grass mulched, polythene mulched and unmulched) was selected and related to crop growth and yield. Grass mulch sig- nificantly (P < 0.05) lowered maximum soil temperature by 1-2℃ at 15cm depth during the thermal critical period (Janu- ary - March). This led to higher rate of emergence which accounted for 28 and 46% to the polythene mulch and the un- mulched plots respectively. Furthermore, grass mulch had tuber yield of about 4-6 tonnes ha-1 season-1 greater than the polythene mulch and the unmulched plots. Irrespective of mulching materials, it was found that mulching significantly (P< 0.05) increased tuber yield by about 6-8 tonnes ha-1 season-1 than the unmulched. The effect of grass mulch over nylon mulch on yam performance in the study was also discussed.

Highlights

Crop production in the tropics as in other parts of the world is sensitive to environmental factors[1]
The difference in soil temperature at 15cm and 25cm depth under the different mulching methods were noticed at the arid periods between the 1st to 15th decade, the similar soil temperature experienced during the humid period between 18th to 29th decade were as a result of the removal of all the mulches at the beginning of the humid period at the 18th decade for 2007
The soil temperature for 2007 cropping season was observed to be similar from the 1st and 5th decades under un-mulched and nylon mulched, whereas the grass mulched soil plot was lower by temperature range of 1- 2oC, this period coincides with the planting and early emergence period

Summary

Introduction

Crop production in the tropics as in other parts of the world is sensitive to environmental factors[1]. The major climatic parameters involved in yam production are rainfall, temperature, light, and photoperiod[3,4]. Moisture and temperature remains the most critical agro-meteorological factor for crop production in the tropics[5]. The occurrence of wet- season- dry spells which may last for a few days to more than three weeks is another serious limiting factor to agricultural management in South Western Nigeria. For location with good soil moisture retention the plants may manage to utilize soil moisture reserve contained in the pores of the soil, or upon the very limited reserve contained in its own tissue during dry spells between rains. Crop may adopt physiologically or behaviorally to prevent temporary depletion of the stored tissue moisture in other to prevent

Methods

Results

Conclusion