Effect of irrigation levels and mulch on growth and soil moisture content of cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata L.) under drip irrigation

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted at Instructional Farm, College of Agriculture, Swami Keshwanand Rajasthan Agricultural University, Bikaner during Rabi, 2018-19 with treatment comprised of 4 irrigation levels viz., 40, 60, 80 and 100% PE in the main plot and three mulch viz., without mulch, straw mulch and plastic mulch in the sub plot. The experiment was laid out in split plot design and replicated thrice. The result reveal that the maximum viz., plant height (19.06 cm), number of leaves per plant (13.02), plant spread (1187.07 cm2) leaf area (239.36 cm2) and chlorophyll content in leaves (0.687 mg g-1) were recorded with 100% PE irrigation levels at 45 DAT. Soil moisture content 0-15 (9.38%) and 15-30 (7.64%) soil depth at 60 DAT, were recorded under 100% PE irrigation levels followed by 80% PE. Among various mulch maximum viz., plant height (18.62 cm), number of leaves per plant (12.39), plant spread (1084.98 cm2), leaf area (235.34 cm2), chlorophyll content in leaves (0.620 mg g-1), soil moisture content at 0-15 (8.98%) and 15-30 cm (6.93%) soil depth were recorded under plastic mulch.