Effect of Mulching on Chickpea under Low Head Drip Irrigation System

The effect of plastic mulch on chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) cultivation under low head drip irrigation systems was studied at ICAR-Central Institute of Agricultural Engineering, PFDC, Bhopal during 2018–19. Drip irrigation system was operated by placing water tank at a total water deliver height of 3 m and varied heads to 2.5 m and 2.0 m to find out the value of coefficient of uniformity under these heads. The experimental treatments consisted in five levels by varying irrigation methods: Flood irrigation, irrigation with drip laid on raised beds, irrigation with drip laid on raised beds covered with black mulch, irrigation with drip laid on raised beds covered with silver mulch and irrigation with drip laid on raised beds covered with white mulch. Growth and yield parameters of chickpea viz., plant height (cm), number of branches per plant, plant dry matter (g/plant), effective nodule per plant and nodules dry weight (mg/plant), number of pods per plant, 100 seed weight, seed yield (kg/ha) and harvest index were highest under silver plastic mulch laid on raised beds, irrigated with drip as compared to black plastic mulch and white plastic mulch treatments. Lowest growth and yield parameters were recorded in the flood irrigated treatment. Water Use Efficiency was highest under silver plastic mulch (17.21kg/ha mm) and lowest under flood irrigated condition (3.74 kg/ha mm). Net returns were higher in the treatment under the silver mulch (Rs/ha 77939) and followed by black mulch (Rs/ha 67179) with lowest net returns in the flood irrigated condition (Rs/ha 32690).