Abstract
A study was undertaken during the post-rainy periods of 2001 and 2002 at the Research Farm of ICAR Tripura Centre, West Tripura, India to determine the effect of mulching on growth, water use and seed yield of blackgram in rainfed upland conditions. Combined mulching with leaves of Saccharum sp. and Acacia auriculiformis or Saccharum sp. and Glyricidia maculata (1:1) recorded significantly higher LAI, root depth, mean root weight density, biomass accumulation and seed yield of blackgram. The optimum rate of mulching for blackgram was found to be 5 t ha-1, as it recorded better growth and seed yield of the crop. Mulching improved surface as well as profile moisture storage and the crop utilized the stored soil moisture more efficiently under combined leaf mulch treatments and with mulch rate of 5 t ha-1.
