Response of mulching on Cucurbitaceae crops: A review

Abstract

Mulching is a basic covering layer which protects plant from various extreme conditions. Mulching help to create micro environment around the plant so that it can get require nutrients. In family Cucurbitaceae mulching is the best method to increase the production. The most important use of mulches is conserve soil moisture, stopping soil from erosion, controlling the weeds, prevention of soil from becoming compact, maintaining in the soil moisture because of this benefit most of the modern farmers used to apply mulches in their field. Soil health, along with its physical, chemical and biological properties, can be mulched to create an ideal habitat for soil worms and other beneficial soil micro-organisms to survive. Weed seedlings cannot survive in a mulched environment to avoid the use of chemical compounds. 50% of plastic mulch is mostly used since 1991 and they are known under a category of protected cultivation. There are two types of mulches organic and inorganic mulches or synthetic mulch. In this review we can know different mulches effect on the Cucurbitaceae family.