TITLE:
Quantitative Behaviour of Guar (Cymopsis tetragnolobus L.) to Various Tillage Systems and Mulches and Soil Physical Properties
AUTHORS:
M. ShahidIbni Zamir, Muhammad Aamir Khan, Mazhar Hussain, Ihtishamul Haq, M. Kamran Khan, Qamaruz Zaman, Usman Afzal, Naveed Islam, M. Asim, Ihtisham Ali, Husnain Khan, Khalid Iqbal
KEYWORDS:
Guar, Mulch, Tillage, Soil Properties
JOURNAL NAME:
American Journal of Plant Sciences,
Vol.7 No.7,
May
12,
2016
ABSTRACT: A field study was
conducted to evaluate the effect of organic mulches and tillage practices on growth,
yield of cluster bean and soil physical properties. Experiment was comprised of
two factors: A (Tillage), B (Mulches). Factor A was assigned to main plot and
consisted of two treatments (Minimum tillage and Conventional tillage). Factor
B was assigned to sub plot and consisted of four treatments (no mulch, wheat
straw mulch, grass clipping mulch and saw dust mulch). The mulching materials
were partially incorporated in the field after germination of crop. The experiment
was laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with split plot
arrangement having three replications. Control treatment was kept for
comparison. All other agronomic practices were kept standardized and consistent
for all the treatments. Data regarding growth and yield components were
collected and analyzed statistically by fisher analysis of variance and
treatment significance was measured by significant difference test at 5%
probability level. The factors, tillage and mulches significantly affected
growth, yield, yield parameters and soil physical properties. Maximum plant
population (31.7 m2), plant height (159 cm), branches per plant (18.9),
cluster per plant (15.88), grains per pod (7.3), 1000-grain weight (34.6 g),
grain yield (1.9 t•ha-1), biological yield (9.91 t•ha-1)
and harvest index (19.15) was recorded in conventional tillage comparative to
minimum tillage. Mulches also affected grain yield, and maximum grain yield was
recorded in wheat straw mulch (1.88 t•ha-1) followed by
grass clipping mulch (1.81 t•ha-1) and saw dust mulch (1.76
t•ha-1) while minimum grain yield was recorded in control
without mulch application (1.67 t•ha-1). Tillage and
mulches interactively affect pH, soil organic matter contents, electrical
conductivity and soil bulk density. Mulches and minimum tillage improved soil
physical properties. Highest BCR was obtained from conventional tillage without
mulch and lowest calculated from minimum tillage with saw dust application. The
conclusion is that the mulching and conventional tillage improves cluster bean
yield about 1%.