Mulching Implication on Productivity and Fruit Quality of Pomegranate Grown In A Sandy Soil

doi:10.21608/ejoh.2015.1304

Mulching Implication on Productivity and Fruit Quality of Pomegranate Grown In A Sandy Soil

Document Type : Original Article

10.21608/ejoh.2015.1304

Abstract

THIS STUDY was carried out during two successive seasons (2012 and 2013) on 4 - years old pomegranate trees, (Punica granatum L.) wonderful cv., grown on a sandy soil under drip irrigation to assess four different mulching treatments, rice straw, palm fronds, transparent polyethylene sheets and gravel on tree growth and their productivity. The design of the experiment is randomized complete block five treatments with three replicates each.
Gravel mulch gave the highest number of leaves, shoot length, number of internodes, as well as length, diameter, volume, aril weight per fruit, fruit weight and yield. Rice straw gave the highest total soluble solids, Vitamin (C), total rind and juice anthocyanin. Gravel and rice straw mulch were more effective in reducing cracked fruits and decrease sunburn disorder. Mulching treatments reduced grass growth and increased moisture and soil temperature conservation, in particular of gravel mulch which was superior in this concern. It can be recommended that gravel mulching was the most effective treatment to improve soil moisture, growth, quality and productivity of pomegranate fruits.

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