Effect of Different Organic Mulches and in-Situ Green Manuring on Soil Chemical, Biological Properties and Weed Dynamics in Maize

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Abstract:

A study was conducted at the Zonal Agricultural Research Station, UAS, GKVK, Bangalore in Alfisols during 2010 to know the effect of different organic mulches and In-situ green manuring on soil properties and weed dynamics in maize. The soil was red sandy loam, slightly acidic in pH and with low in available nitrogen and medium in available phosphorus and potassium. The experiment consists of nine treatments comprising different mulchels like straw, coir pith, coconut fronds, tank soil and In-situ green manuring of sunhemp and glyricidia as green leaf manuring and horse gram as inter crop and control which are replicated thrice in RCBD. The results indicated that the soil organic carbon content did not differ significantly due to different mulches and In-situ green manuring but differed significantly with respect to available nutrients and on weed dynamics. Among different treatments In-situ green manuring of sunhemp registered significantly higher available nitrogen (280.80 kg/ha) over other treatments but which was on par with green leaf manuring, horse gram intercropping and tank silt application. Similarly In-situ green manuring of sunhemp recorded significantly higher available phosphorus (77.80 kg/ha) over application of additional FYM but was on par with other treatments. Mulching with coconut fronds (2.3 t/ha) recorded higher available potassium (136 kg/ha) but which was on par with other mulches except mulching with straw, application of additional FYM and control. The population of total bacteria, fungi and P solublizers, azotobactor were found be increased significantly after the harvest of the crop compared to the initial population, In-situ green manuring of sunhemp, green leaf manuring with glyricidia and intercropping of horse gram registered lower weed density of 18.98, 30.32 and 32 per m2 respectively over other treatments. Similar trend was noticed with respect to weed dry weight and weed control efficiency.

Keywords:

Mulches, Soil properties, Weed dynamics, Maize.