Vol. 7, Issue 10 (2018)

Author(s):
SK Brar

Abstract:
Mulching is the covering the soil surface around the plants with an organic or synthetic material to create amiable conditions for the plant growth, development and proficient production. So, mulching is a simple act that can cause big benefits, insulates soil to protect soil organisms and plant roots from extreme weather. A nice and thick layer of mulch retards the weeds in two ways; firstly by covering the soil thoroughly and then depriving weed seeds of light needed for their germination. Secondly, uncovered soil is perfect place for weed seeds to land and germinate; thus by covering the bare dirt with mulch, most of the weeds do not germinate. Significant quantities of rice residues are produced in the rice growing countries like India. Moreover, the adoption of mechanized farming has resulted in leaving a significant amount of rice straw in the field after harvesting the grain. Thus, there is enormous potential of recycling crop residues in the crop production systems. Use of rice straw mulching for weed control in different crops is possible as it breaks down quickly thus helps to heat up the soil, which is beneficial for germination of mint during initial stages of growth. Hence, weed control coupled with yield enhancements by rice straw mulching would be beneficial in integrated plant management systems, while minimizing the impact of agrochemicals; which is an important concern in current agricultural activities This review will overview the importance of paddy straw mulch in growth and productivity of herbage and oil yield in Japanese mint, also in respect to enhancement of soil health and improvement in germination and weed control.