Durability of mulch materials and their effect on weed growth in newly planted low-grown tea

A B S T R A C TMulching is a recommended cultural practice for weed growth suppression and soil and moisture conservation in newly planted tea lands. However, tea growers have neglected this practice due to the scarcity of thatching materials like Cymbopogon confertiflorus (Mana grass) and the high labor cost. Hence, it lasted too long to explore the feasibility of using alternative sources. Furthermore, any used material as mulch should be more durable. An investigation was conducted to find low-cost and durable alternative plant materials such as tertiary shoots of Diyapara (Dillenia suffruticosa), Flemingia congesta, and Acacia auriculiformis, together with black/silver polythene mulch that were field-tested against C. confertiflorus grass mulch. Mulch was applied to tea plots at ۱.۰ kg m-۲ on a dry weight basis. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design with four replicates. The results showed that C. confertiflorus mulch was retained on plots for ۱۸ weeks and F. congesta and A. auriculiformis were disappeared in ۲۰ weeks after mulching, but D. suffruticosa and Agricultural mulch were remained occurring at only ۸۵% and zero ground exposure reporting the highest weed growth suppression by ۵۲% and ۱۰۰%, respectively compared with C. confertiflorus. Weed growth was suppressed by ۱۸% and ۱۴% when mulched with A.auriculiformis and F. congesta compared with Cymbopogon confertiflorus. Tea growth was not affected by any mulch treatment. D. suffruticosa and agricultural mulch were more durable and promising mulches, while F. congesta and A. auriculiformis can be further used as alternative mulches to Cymbopogon confertiflorus to suppress the weed growth in newly planted tea fields.

Keywords:

Mulching , Mulch durability , Tea , Weed growth suppression