Effect of Different Types of Mulches on Grain Yield and Yield Components of Wheat (Triticum Aestivum) under Rainfed Condition

Abstract

The research experiment was carried out at the research area of Soil and Water Conservation Research Institute, Chakwal, Pakistan to estimate the effects of different types of mulches on the growth, development and grain yield of wheat during rabi season 2010-11. Four different types of mulches (hoeing twice 30-40 & 60-70 DAE, straw mulch @ 2.0 ton ha^-1, litter mulch @ 1.5 ton ha^-1 and gypsum @ 2.5 ton ha^-1) were compared with control (no mulch) laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications. The investigation revealed significant effects of different types of mulches on the germination count m^-2, plant height (cm), no. of tillers m^-2, spike length (cm), no. of spikelets per spike, biological yield (kg/ha) and grain yield (kg/ha) while there was non-significant difference among the treatments on 1000 grain weight (g). Hence, it was concluded that farmers could apply different mulches particularly gypsum @ 2.5 ton ha^-1 to achieve highest grain yield (kg/ha) of wheat under rainfed conditions.

Keywords: different mulches, moisture conservation, grain yield, yield components, rainfed,

wheat