The Efficacy of Different Mulching Materials in Influencing Growth, Yield, Soil and Quality Parameters of Ginger Cultivated in Low Country Intermediate Zone (IL1) of Sri Lanka

Abstract

Even though mulching is a well-known fact among cultivators they are seemingly unaware of its contribution to growth and yield of Ginger and its ability to cope with temperature and water stress. Therefore, a field experiment was conducted at the Intercropping and Betel Research Station, Narammala to investigate the effect of different mulching materials on growth, yield, quality parameters of Ginger and the soil parameters in the Low country intermediate zone (IL1) of Sri Lanka. The study was also extended to find out the best mulching material for Ginger under certain field conditions. The findings are expected to contribute to eliminate the uncertainty faced by farmers when selecting suitable mulch for Ginger. The mulches tested were straw, gliricidia leaves, coconut leaves, coir dust and polythene. A control treatment was used without the use of mulch. Experiment was carried out as a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. Plant and soil parameters were measured at monthly intervals. All the treatments showed better performances than the control treatment which did not use *Corresponding should be addressed to Mr. R.

Effect of mulching on diversity and abundance of natural enemies associated with brinjal (<em>Solanum melongena</em> L.) crop in Mawathagama, Kurunegala (IL1)

“…In Sri Lanka, farmers use different mulches without considering their effect on natural enemies and pests (Kumara and De Silva, 2019). Identifying the most effective mulch that controls pests is essential to increasing the natural enemy population as an eco-friendly approach to suppress the pest population in vegetable ecosystems.…”