ABSTRACT
Increase in agricultural productivity demands optimum utilization of natural resources like soil and water. Mulching is one of the important practices for restoring water; among various mechanical and agronomic measures, it reduces soil erosion, increases in-situ soil moisture storage and improves the productivity of crops (Bhatt and Rao, 2005). The practice of mulching has been widely used as management tool in many parts of the world. However, the effect varies with soils, climate and kind of mulch materials used, and the rate of application. The surface mulch favorably influences the soil moisture regime by controlling evaporation (Ramakrishna et al., 2006; Montenegro et al., 2013).
