Effect of Mulch and Irrigation on Hydraulic Conductivity, Infiltration Rate, Water Stable Aggregates, Water Use Efficiency and Yield of Sugarcane

An experiment was conducted in Factorial Randomized Block Design with three replications to evaluate the effect of irrigation and mulch on hydrothermal regime and yield of sugarcane chili intercrop at Water Management Research plot of Rajendra Agricultural University Pusa (Samastipur) Bihar. It was found that mulch and irrigation both maintained higher soil temperature along with better soil physical environment by increasing per cent of macro aggregates hydraulic conductivity and infiltration rates in winter season. The yield performance of mulch and irrigation levels were in the order I₂ (454.19q/ha), I₁ (425.46q/ha) and I₀ (365.08q/ha) where as the yield performance of mulches were in the order M₁ (455.48q/ha) and M₀ (377.09q/ha).