TabuiliuAbonmai, Ksh. Manishwari Devi, A. Abel Arche and M.S. Singh
Abstract
Mulch can effectively minimize water vapour loss, soil erosion, weed problems and nutrient loss.Modification of soil microclimate by mulching favours seedling emergence and root proliferation. Organicmulches add nutrients to the soil when decomposed by microbes in the soil. A field experiment wasconducted during the rabi season of 2018 and the treatments comprised of one control (T1-no mulch) andsix levels of rice husk mulching viz, T2(10q/ha), T3(20q/ha), T4(30q/ha), T5(40q/ha), T6(50q/ha)and T7(60q/ha) were laid out in RBD with three replications. The application of rice husk mulching 60q/ha (T7) hadsignificant effect on the germination percentage of the crop. The highest number of pods, pods per plantand longest pod length were recorded in the treatment of rice husk mulching with 60q/ha (T7). The testweight was found to be non-significant. With respect to economics of yield production in pea, higher grossreturns, net returns and returns per rupee invested (B:C ratio) was obtained by 60q/ha rice husk mulchingas compared to the other treatments. From the present investigation it was observed that pea was found toperform better in rice husk mulching of 60q/ha.