GURPREET SINGH* AND NOOPUR JAYSAWAL
Department of Horticulture, School of Agriculture, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara-144 411 (Punjab), India
*(e-mail : gurpreetraje@rediffmail.com; Mobile : 84350-02901)
ABSTRACT
Carrot (Daucus carota L.) is one of the most important root vegetables of India. Mulching has strong effect on yield, quality and harvesting duration. The present investigation was undertaken to study the influence of different mulches on growth, quality and yield of carrot and to evaluate the best mulching material for carrot production. This research work with carrot crop, variety Mallika was conducted at Research Field, Department of Horticulture, School of Agriculture, ITM University, Gwalior (M. P.) during the winter season of 2016-17. The experiment comprised eight treatments viz., T1 –Control, T2 – Sugarcane straw mulch, T3 –Black polythene mulch, T4 –Leaves mulch (Dalbergia sissoo), T5 –Blue polythene mulch, T6 – Paddy straw mulch, T7 –Grass mulch (Cynodon dactylon) and T8–White polythene mulch. The experiment was conducted in randomized block design with three replications. The results showed that the treatment T3 –Black polythene mulch was found to be the best among the various treatments and recorded maximum plant height (61.70 cm), leaf length (26.78 cm), leaves number (9.84/plant), fresh weight of leaves (39.38 g/plant), dry weight of leaves (5.83 g/plant), fresh weight of root (225.33 g/plant), dry weight of roots (17.88 g/plant), fresh weight of plant (264.72 g), dry weight of plant (23.71 g), total root length (23.45 cm) and total root diameter (5.54 cm). This treatment also recorded the maximum yield (1.43 kg/m2 and 54.69 t/ha) which was followed by T5 –Blue polythene mulch for these parameters. There was no significant effect of different mulches on TSS of the freshly harvested carrot.
Key words : Carrot, polythene mulch, straw mulch, growth, yield