2025, Vol. 8, Issue 1, Part C

author(s)
Usha Parmar, Swati Barche, NK Gupta and IK Binepal

abstract
The aim of this study was to assess effect of inorganic and organic mulches on growth, yield and quality of potato cv. Kufri Himalini under drip irrigation system in the Department of Horticulture, College of Agriculture, Indore (M.P.) during the Rabi season of 2020-21 and 2021-22. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Block Design with twenty treatment. The experiment comprised of total twenty treatments combinations of organic and inorganic mulches to evaluate the performance of mulching on potato production. The results revealed that under plastic mulch plant growth and yield are also positively influenced by the plastic mulch due to the modification of soil microclimate. The treatments had a significant effect on number of the leaves and fresh weight of leaves at 45, 60, 75 DAP and at harvest stage. Plant mulching increased number of leaves significantly over no mulch treatment in the 2020-21 the maximum number of leaves per plant at 45, 60, 75 DAP and at harvest stage was recorded 82.13, 143.62, 152.21 and 136.67 in the treatment T_{­2 –} (removal of black mulch 25 micron at 60 DAP) respevtively while in the 2021-22 the results were 80.07, 139.67, 146.35 and 139.89 at the same days of interval respectively. In pooled year the value were 81.10, 141.49, 149.28 and 138.28 in the same treatment at 45, 60, 75 DAP and at harvest stage respectively which was best other than non-mulching material which was followed by the treatment T_­8 (removal of silver mulch 25 micron at 60 DAP). The lowest fresh weight of the leaves was observed in the control plots. Mulching also resulted in significantly fresh weight of the leaves in the first year 2020-21 the maximum fresh weight of leaves at 45, 60, 75 DAP and at harvest stage were recorded (54.93, 195.13, 198.20 and 188.71) respectively in the treatment T_{­2 –} (removal of black mulch 25 micron at 60 DAP) while in the second year 2021-22 the results were (50.82, 194.80, 195.17 and 191.41) at the same days of interval respectively. In the pooled year the value were (52.88, 194.97, 196.68 and 190.06) at 45, 60, 75 DAP and at harvest stage respectively in the same treatment. The lowest fresh weight of the leaves was observed in the control plots.