The Influence of Moss Colonization and Biochar Application on Evaporation Losses and Surface Crack in Shallow Carbonate–Derived Laterite During Dry–Wet Cycles

AimsSoil water deficit in karst mountain lands is becoming an issue of concern owing to porous, fissured, and soluble nature of underlying karst bedrock. It is important to identify feasible methods to facilitate soil water preservation in karst mountainous lands. This study aims to seek the possibility of combined utilization of moss colonization and biochar application to reduce evaporation losses in carbonate-derived laterite.MethodsThe treatments of the experiments at micro-lysimeter included four moss spore amounts (0, 30, 60, and 90 g·m−2) and four biochar application levels (0, 100, 400, and 700 g·m−3). The dynamics of moss coverage, characteristics of soil surface cracks and surface temperature field were identified. An empirical evaporation model considering the interactive effects of moss colonization and biochar application was proposed and assessed.ResultsMoss colonization reduced significantly the ratio of soil desiccation cracks. Relative cumulative evaporation decreased linearly with increasing moss coverage under four biochar application levels. Biochar application reduced critical moss coverage associated with inhibition of evaporation by 33.26%-44.34%. The empirical evaporation model enabled the calculation of soil evaporation losses under moss colonization and biochar application, with the R2 values ranging from 0.94 to 0.99.Conclusions Our result showed that the artificially cultivated moss, which was induced by moss spores and biochar, decreased soil evaporation by reducing soil surface cracks, increasing soil moisture and soil surface temperature.Moss colonization and biochar application has the potential to facilitate soil moisture conservation in karst mountain lands.

Evaluation of Intercropping Legume Covers with Maize on Soil Moisture Improvement in Misrak Azerinet Berbere woreda, SNNPR, Ethiopia

In Ethiopia, particularly Southern Regional State dry land crop productivity is majorly influenced by low soil moisture stress. The current study has been conducted to evaluate the effect of intercropping maize with legumes covers on Soil Moisture improvement at Misrak Azerinet Berbere woreda. Seven treatments evaluated were vetch with maize, lablab with maize, vetch only, lablab only, and maize only. The experimental design was in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications in a permanent plot. Disturbed soil samples were collected from the intra-row spacing from both intercropped and non-intercropped plots from the depth of 0–20 cm and composited for soil moisture analysis. The yield and biomass of maize and legume shrubs have been collected. The Land Equivalent Ratio (LER) was computed to evaluate the land productivity of intercropped combinations. The result reveals that in both years, yield, biomass, and soil moisture content were not significant (p > 0.05) at a statistically significant level. After crop harvest, maize with lablab has better soil moisture relative to other combinations (first year). In both years, the soil moisture content in the soil was reduced in the sole crop of maize compared with sole vetch. However, the soil moisture content in the soil was increased in maize intercropped with lablab in both development stage and after harvest compared with maize intercropped with vetch. Both legume shrubs under mono and intercropped conditions conserve soil moisture relative to maize under mono cropped conditions. This implies the benefit of legume shrubs on soil moisture conservation both planted under mono cropped conditions and intercropped conditions. It is concluded that the combination of intercropping maize with legume shrubs could substantially increase soil moisture conservation and improve the overall land productivity. Therefore, for maximum maize production, farmers in the area should plant maize with a combination of vetch and lablab. Additionally, farmers should practice double cropping with the residual soil moisture from legume and its combinations.

Effect of crop geometry and in situ soil moisture conservation practices on yield attributes and yield of upland rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Rice is the most widely grown crop in India. With the decreasing availability of water for irrigation, farmers are now switching towards water efficient production systems such as upland rice. Moisture stress at critical stages is one of the major reasons for low productivity of upland rice. So, the present study was conducted at college of Agriculture, Vellayani, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala Agricultural University, Kerala, India. The experiment was conducted in RBD with nine treatments including two crop geometries viz., normal planting (20 cm x 10 cm) and paired row planting (10 cm x 10 cm) with 40 cm between paired rows, three rows of cowpea are grown in between two paired rows and in situ soil moisture conservation practices viz., live mulching of cowpea, hydrogel application and coirpith compost application were compared and analysed statistically on yield parameters and yield. Results revealed that, the treatment T9 (Paired row planting with live mulching of cowpea, hydrogel and coir pith compost application) favorably influenced the yield characters and yield of upland rice through proper conservation of moisture and improved availability of nutrients. The treatment T9 recorded the highest grain and straw yields of 3825 and 7700 kg ha-1 respectively with a harvest index (0.48) and was significantly superior to other treatments. It also recorded the highest moisture content in the soil as well as the maximum uptake and availability of nutrients.

EFFECT OF MULCH ON SOIL TEMPERATURE, SOIL MOISTURE CONSERVATION AND YIELD OF CHILLI

The experiment was conducted at Regional Agricultural Research Station (RARS), Jamalpur, Bangladesh during the period of 2017-18 and 2018-19 with the objectives to evaluate the effect of different mulch on soil temperature, soil moisture conservation and yield attributes of chilli. There were five treatments comprising T1: no mulch, T2: rice straw mulch @ 5 t ha-1, T3: water hyacinth mulch @ 5 t ha-1, T4: black polyethylene mulch and T5: white polyethylene mulch. The results revealed that, all the mulch treatment had higher soil temperature and soil moisture content at 5 cm and 10 cm depth compared to no mulch treatment. Soil temperature was highest in black polyethylene mulch, it increased average soil temperature by about 5.7 oC at 5 cm depth and 5.1 oC at 10 cm depth compared to no mulch treatment at 120 Days. Rice straw mulch treatment recorded highest soil moisture, it increased average soil moisture about 27.87 % at 5 cm depth and 28.57% at 10 cm depth over no mulch treatment. Rice straw mulch treatment produced highest green chilli yield (8.81 t ha-1) which was 26.94 % increased over no mulch treatment (6.94 t ha-1).Considering economic analysis, highest gross return (Tk 352400 ha-1), gross margin (Tk 235400 ha-1) and BCR (3.01) was obtained from same treatment T2 i.e., rice straw mulch treatment.