Abstract
Field experiments were conducted during 1983–1989 to 1990–1991 on a sandy loam (Typical ochraqualf) soil of eastern India, to determine the effects of four mulch types: (no mulch; soil dust mulch; green mulch at 20 mg ha −1; and rice straw mulch 5 mg ha −1); and three tillage treatments (two, four and six ploughings to 100 mm depth) on profile water conservation, grain yield and water use efficiency ( W ue ) of rainfed yellow sarson ( Brassica rapa L. var glauca). Green and dry straw mulches conserved 15% and 13.7% more water than the no mulch treatment in the top 500 mm of the soil profile. As compared with the no mulch condition, grain yield was increased by 47%, 43% and 16% respectively under green, straw and soil dust mulching. Besides vegetative mulches, soil dust mulch also increased the W ue of the crop. Grain yield and W ue were not significantly changed by an increase in the number of ploughings from two to six.
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