Interactive effect of tillage depth and mulch on soil temperature, productivity and water use pattern of rainfed barley (Hordium vulgare L.)

Soil porosity and organic matter content influence the hydrology, thermal status and productivity of agricultural soils. Shape, size and continuity of soil pores are determined by tillage practices. Thus appropriate tillage and mulch management can conserve residual soil moisture during the post rainy season. This can play a key role in enhancing productivity under the rainfed ecosystem of subhumid region in eastern India. A field study was carried out on a fine loamy soil from 1993–1994 to 1995–1996. Two tillage treatments were conventional ploughing (150 mm depth) and shallow ploughing (90 mm) depth. Each tillage practice was tested with three mulch management viz., no mulch, soil dust mulch and rice (Oryza sativa L.) straw mulch. Soil organic carbon, bulk density, moisture retentivity, soil temperature with productivity and water use pattern of barley (Hordium vulgare L.) were measured.Reduction in ploughing depth resulted in nominal increase in profile (0.0–1.2 m) moisture status, yield, and soil thermal status at 14:00 and water use efficiency (WUE). However, it decreased the magnitude of soil temperature in the morning (07:00). Straw mulch conserved 19–21 mm of moisture in the profile (1.2 m) over the unmulched condition. Both soil dust and rice straw mulching elevated soil thermal status at 07:00 as compared to unmulched condition, but this trend was reversed at 14:00. Straw mulching significantly increased grain yield and WUE over soil dust mulch and unmulched condition. Impact of straw mulch was more pronounced under shallow ploughing depth. Shallow tillage with rice straw mulching is recommended to the farmers to obtain higher level of yield and water use efficiency.