There are several studies of the use of different mulches in crop production, but there is little work of their use with beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). Beans are word’s most important vegetables for consumption especially in sub-Saharan countries. Already sub-Saharan countries are suffering from a great water stress and large food scarcity. To achieve the sustainable agriculture each and every drop from rainfall should be well managed but unfortunately a huge amount of rainfall water is wasted. This study was carried out to determine the effect of different mulch application on soil moisture conservation; growth and grain yield of beans under semiarid of rain fed fersiallitic soil condition in eastern of Rwanda. In the experiment a control (no mulch) was also included. The study indicated that mulching materials greatly affected the growth and yield of beans on fersiallitic loam soil than control at (P<0.05).The obtained results showed that soil treated with mulches conserved moisture at root zone level. The soil moisture increased 11.05% which showed the significant benefits of mulching. When growing beans in Eastern of Rwanda it is recommended to apply mulches in order to maximize growth and yield. They are also recommended for soil moisture conservation.
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