CORRELATION STUDIES ON EFFECT OF MOISTURE CONSERVATION THROUGH MULCHING IN SAPOTA

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted from 2011 to 2016 to evaluate the impact of different moisture conservation practices on the growth, physiology, soil moisture status, and yield of rainfed sapota, and to identify the most effective practice for enhancing productivity under rainfed conditions in sapota. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Block Design along with eight treatments and four replications at a spacing of 8 × 4 m. The treatment viz., Insitu water harvesting in sunken basin with 5 % shape towards centre + organic mulch (T1); Insitu water harvesting in sunken basin with 5 % shape towards centre + organic mulch (T2); Insitu water harvesting in sunken basin with 5 % shape + halfmoon shaped organic mulch (T3); Insitu water harvesting in sunken basin with 5 % shape + halfmoon shaped organic mulch (T4); Insitu water harvesting in sunken basin with 5 % shape + No mulch (T5); Water harvesting without shape + organic mulch (T6); Water harvesting without shape + inorganic mulch (T7); Water harvesting without shape + No mulch (T8).  The results indicated that moisture conservation practices significantly influenced soil moisture retention, plant morphological characters, physiological attributes, and fruit yield. Treatments involving in situ water harvesting with a 5% sloped sunken basin and organic mulch consistently maintained higher soil moisture at both 30 and 60 cm depths compared to T8 (water harvesting without slope + no mulch). These treatments also maintained its superiority in physiological performance, including higher Chlorophyll Stability Index, Relative Water Content, proline accumulation, and nitrate reductase activity which leads to improved plant water status and metabolic activity under rainfed conditions. Higher soil moisture availability was closely associated with better vegetative growth, as evidenced by greater plant height, canopy spread, stem girth, and branching. The highest fruit yield was recorded in the treatment comprising in situ water harvesting in a sunken basin with 5% slope and organic mulch (5.20 kg tree⁻¹), which was followed by the corresponding sloped basin with organic mulch (4.80 kg tree⁻¹), while the treatment without basin shaping and without mulch recorded the lowest yield (3.10 kg tree⁻¹). The study concluded that integrating in situ water harvesting with organic mulching effectively conserves soil moisture, improves physiological efficiency, enhances vegetative growth, and increases fruit yield of sapota under rainfed conditions. Therefore, 5% sloped sunken basin combined with organic mulch is recommended for adoption as an efficient moisture conservation practice for sustainable sapota production under rainfed conditions.