Effect of organic and inorganic mulches on soil-moisture conservation, weed suppression and yield of elephant-foot yam (Amorphophallus paeoniifolius)

A field investigation on elephant-foot yam (Amorphophallus paeoniifolius Blume) was carried out during the pre-rainy and rainy seasons (kharif) of 2001 and 2002 with various mulch materials, viz. transparent polythene, black polythene, wheat straw, paddy straw, banana leaf, water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) and cowpea (Vigna sp.) as cover crop. Black polythene, paddy straw and water hyacinth recorded significantly higher yields (50.2–52.8 tonnes/ha), which was 7.1–28.8% more than that of no-mulch control. Black polythene recorded the highest weed-control efficiency (92.1%). Mulches conserved the soil moisture by 26.3 to 29.7% in the soil (0–30 cm). Organic and inorganic mulches were on a par with each other in maintaining the soil-moisture status. Higher benefit: cost (B:C) ratio (3.12–3.38) was observed under application of organic mulch compared with that of inorganic or synthetic mulches (1.88–2.09).