Effect of Mulching on Growth and Yield of Potato Crop

摘要

Field experiments to study the effect of mulching on growth and yield of potato crop were conducted for three years (1998, 1999 and 2000) at NARC, Islamabad. Mulching has very positive effect on emergence. In all the trials, it was maximum in T₁. After 35 days of planting, highest emergence was 78.5% in T₁, 84.25% in T₂ and 83.25% in T₁ during spring 1998, 1999 and 2000 respectively. After 45 DAP (days after planting), during 1998, 1999 and 2000, highest emergence was 97.67% in T₁ , 100% in T₂ and 98.75% in T_1, respectively. In the trials lowest emergence was recorded in T₅ (control). Growth rate was also better in all treatments where mulching was applied as compared to control at 45 and 60 DAP. In the year 1998, at 60 DAP, maximum growth rate (64%) was recorded in T₁, followed by 53.67% in T₂ and lowest (36.67%) in T₅. In 1999 trial, maximum growth rate (46.5%) was noted in T₂, followed by 43% in T₄ and minimum (30.25%) in T₅. In 2000 trial also highest growth (49%) was recorded in T₁ followed by 45.25% in T₂ and lowest (31.75%) in T₅. Similarly, at 75 DAP, all treatments where mulching was applied were found significantly different than control at 75 DAP. Mulching has also a significant effect on yield of potato crop. In the treatments where mulching was done with plastic sheet (black or white), yield was more than 17 t/ha (T₁, T₂ and T₃). In T₄ where grass mulch was applied, yield was 16.44 t/ha. However, highest yield (18.42 t/ha) was recorded in T₁, followed by 17.6, 17.11 and 16.44 t/ha in T₂, T₃ and T_4, respectively. Lowest yield (11.48 t/ha) was obtained in T₅. Overall increase in yield was 60.45% in T₁, 49.04% in T₂, 53.31% in T₃ and 43.2% in T₄ over T₅.