Abstract

Field experiment was conducted in Regional Research Station, Paiyur to asses the effect of organic mulching on soil physical properties, utrient availability pattern and microbial population. The treatments included maize straw at 5 and10 t ha-1, sugarcane trash at 5 and10t ha-1, raw coirpith at 5 and10 t ha-1 and dried weeds at 5 and10 t ha-1 and unmulched control, which were replicated thrice in Randomized Block Design. In maize, application of raw coir pith at 10 t ha-1 had reduced the bulk density and all the physical properties. Application of dried weed mulch at 10 t ha-1 (T9 ) recorded highest water holding capacity. Dried weed mulch at 10 t ha-1 recorded higher available N, P and K while raw coirpith at 10 t ha-1 (T7) increased the bacteria and fungal populations. Overall, mulches has great agro- ecological potential and they typically conserve the soil, improve the soil ecology, stabilize and improve soil properties.

Keywords: Organic mulching; maize; soil physical properties; nutrient availability; microbial population