Effect of Supplemental Irrigation Interval and Mulching on Hydrothermal Properties of an Alfisol Cropped with Cucumis sativus

Abstract

Irrigation and mulching are important soil management practices for sustainable food productions. Different irrigation and mulching treatments could however affect soil hydrothermal properties and hence the soil productivity. This study evaluated the effect of drip irrigation interval and mulching type on selected hydrothermal properties of an Alfisol cropped with Cucumber (Cucumis sativus). A field experiment, laid out in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications, was conducted with split-plot arrangement having irrigation interval as the main-plot and mulching material as the sub-plot. Three irrigation intervals: two days per week (D2), four days per week (D4) and six days per week (D6); and two mulching materials: plastic (M1) and spear grass (Imperata cylindrica) (M2) were applied. There were nine (9) treatment combinations which gave a total of 27 plots. Soil physical properties of soil water content (SWC), bulk density (BD) and saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ksat) were monitored during the growing cycle. Thermal conductivity, resistivity, diffusivity and volumetric specific heat of the soil were measured. There was no significant difference in thermal conductivity, thermal resistivity, thermal diffusivity and volumetric specific heat, under the irrigation intervals. The cucumber yield under the mulch treatment was in the order of M1 > M2 > M3. The Cucumis sativus yield was highest under M1 and D4 (11629.63 kg/ha) and lowest in M3 and D2 (3362.22 kg/ha). The mulching treatment had significant effect on the soil temperature, SWC, BD and yield while the irrigation treatment had no significant effect on the soil properties considered.