CLASS RULES :

• Listen carefully and please do not make any noises that may disturbed your
classmates or seatmates

• If you have any question, just raised your hand

• Kindly stand when you answer questions or when you share your idea.

• Seat properly and listen attentively. Be physically and mentally present.

• Please be participative to the class

• Avoid using your gadgets during discussion unless I will tell you to do so.
REVIEW

1. The attainment of the particular size or stage after which ripening takes place.
2. This is a type of maturity in which development of crops in relation to time of harvest according
to use or market demand.
3. It is the process of collecting or gathering mature crops.
4. Bruises, breakage, and wounds during harvest can provide entry points for _______
causing decay.
5. A traditional and common method to harvest fruits.

6. It is a method of harvesting that based on the application of technology through the use of
equipment such as harvesters.

7. The stage of development of a fruit when it become soft or edible.

8-10. What are the 3 harvesting tools that use during harvesting.
 ACTIVITY

1. UMCHLNGI MULCHING

2. GSSAR GRASS
 3. WAS DSUT SAW DUST

4. PADYD STRAW PADDY STRAW

5. BLCKA PLSAICT MULHC BLACK PLASTIC MULCH

6. ORAGCIN ORGANIC
7. SYNHTETIC SYNTHETIC

8. CORSP CROPS
ROLE OF MULCHING IN
CROP PRODUCTION
 INTRODUCTION TO MULCHING
•

• The Quality of food we eat, water we drink and air we breath – in fact
the well being of all plant and animal life – is determined by the
quality of our top soil.
• The earth’s crucial thin layer of soil i.e. top soil must be protected,
maintained & nourished.
• The restoration of soil fertility and addition of plant nutrients to soil
can be done by mulching.
MULCHING
Mulching is the process of • The term mulch was first coined by
covering soil around the Waggoner in 1960. It was probably
plants with an organic or derived from the German word
synthetic material to create molsch which means soft to decay.
congenial condition for the It has been referred to the
plant growth, development gardeners use of straw and leaves,
and efficient production as a soil cover (Jacks et al 1995).
(Bakshi et al 2015).
It is also known as Sheet Composting.
Mulch is used for the following purposes • Mulch insulates and protects soil
from drying & hard baking effects
• To conserve moisture caused by evaporation of water
from soil.
• To lower soil temperature around
plant roots. • It breaks the force of rain &
irrigation water, thereby preventing
• To reduce weed growth soil compaction.

• The mulch covering excludes light,

which prevents germination of
weed seeds. So, fewer weeds
provide less competition for using
available moisture & nutrients.
 Organic mulches degrade easily and
they are locally available usually and are
on-farm produced.
 it is derived from natural sources that
are spread over the soil surface in
gardens.
 It helps nutrients reach plant roots.

 Synthetic mulches this are synthesized

ones and they need prior work before
use them in the field. They are easily
available, easy to handle, transport and
lay.
 Example of synthetic mulches is plastic
films
 4 TYPES OF ORGANIC MULCHES

1. GRASS
Grass has low C:N ratio
Grass releases nitrogen to the crops.

2. PADDY STRAW
Paddy straw has an unique property of not absorbing water,
so water is easily available to plants.
It introduces weeds as well as creates an environment for
pests like slugs and rodents.
It has the longest life span among all the organic mulches.
SAW DUST
 Small granular chip wood that is obtained as the
finished product in the saw mills.
 It has high C:N ratio. It requires nitrogen from the
soil for decomposition. However, it retains the
moisture for longer periods.
 It is easy to apply and inexpensive. But, it should be
used in well-rotten state for better results.

SUGARCANE TRASH
 After removal of juice from the sugarcane, the
residue i.e. sugarcane trash is used for mulching.
 It conserves moisture and reduces weed growth.
 This type of mulching should be avoided in areas
where there is incidence of termites.
 SYNTHETIC MULCHES

• The in-organic materials such as plastic films, when used for mulching, are known as synthetic mulches or in-
organic mulches.
• Natural degradation of organic mulches necessitates the application of synthetic mulches. So they are also
known as Non-degradable mulches.
• This are available in different colors as well as in different thickness. They should be removed and disposed off at
the end of the growing season.
• They are much expensive as compared to organic mulches.
6 TYPES OF SYNTHETIC MULCHES
1. WHITE PLASTIC MULCH
• It reflects more light to the plant as compared to black mulch.
• It is good for establishing crops under hot summer conditions.

2. BLACK PLASTIC MULCH

• It is the most predominating colored mulch used in plant production
and it acts as an opaque blackbody absorber and radiator.
• It absorbs UV, visible and infrared wavelengths of incoming solar
radiation It does not allow sunlight to pass through on to the soil. So,
it retards weed growth.
3. TRANSPARENT PLASTIC MULCH
 Absorbs little solar radiation but transmits only 85% to 95%
of incoming solar radiation.
 It requires herbicides to prevent weed growth under it.
 It is also known as clear plastic mulch.

4. DEGRADABLE MULCH
 Has the ability to degrade after receiving a critical amount
of sunlight.
 The film breakdown into small flakes and disappear in the
soil. a. Bio-degradable mulch
Performs just as polyethylene film
works on tomato and pepper crops.
b. Photo-degradable mulch
This film has the same qualities as other
black or clear plastic film, but is
formulated to breakdown after a certain
number of days of exposure to sunlight.
a. Bio-degradable mulch
Performs just as polyethylene film works on
tomato and pepper crops.
It can simply be ploughed into the ground after
harvest.

b. Photo-degradable mulch
This film has the same qualities as other black or
clear plastic film, but is formulated to breakdown
after a certain number of days of exposure to
sunlight.
5. SELECTIVELY PERMEABLE MULCH
 Also known as reflective or colored plastic mulch.
 It allows only certain wavelength of light to pass
through the mulch and warm the soil.

6. PHOTO-SELECTIVE PLASTIC MULCH

 Also known as Infra Red Transmitting (IRT) mulch.
 It transmits high proportion of solar infra-red
radiation.
 It warms the soil more than black plastic, but cools
soils less than clear plastics.
EVALUATION:
PICK ME!

Activity I
Directions: Pick your answer on the box that match to the question that is given and write the letter of your answer
before the number.

a. Top soil d. Sugarcane trash

b. Mulching e. Organic
mulches
c. Synthetic mulches f. Saw dust

Questions:
1. The earth’s crucial thin layer of soil that must be protected,
maintained and nourished.

2. This type of mulching should be avoided in areas where there is

incidence of termites.
3. This is the process of covering soil around a. Top soil d. Sugarcane
the plants with an organic or synthetic trash
materials to create congenial condition for the b. Mulching e.
plant growth, development and efficient Organic mulches
production. c. Synthetic mulches f. Saw dust

4. Example of this mulches are crop residues,

leaves or grasses

5. This is also known as non-degradable

mulches, materials such as plastic films.

6. A smaller granular chip wood that is obtained

as the finished product in the saw mill.
Activity II

7-9. Give atleast 3 types of organic mulches

10-11. Give atleast 2 types of synthetic mulches

Activity III. Explaination. (3 pts.)

Explain how organic and synthetic mulches are use in crop

production?
Assignment:
For your assignment I want you to make a comparisons between
organic and synthetic mulches. Write this on the table.

ORGANIC MULCHES SYNTHETIC MULCHES