Abstract of DTXIV ICAL
Effects of plastic mulching on productivity and profitability of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) in Uzbekistan
2022 Volume 32 Issue 3 Pages 70
Details
2022 Volume 32 Issue 3 Pages 70
Uzbekistan has about 4. 65 million ha of cultivated area which was considered to be only 18% of total cultivable area because of irrigation shortage (Saidazimova, 2009). Out of the area, cotton plantation is about 1.45 million ha (Djanibekov et al., 2010). Hence, developing water-saving cotton production technology is one of the urgent issues in Uzbekistan. One of main reasons of water shortage is improper water use by farmers. Mulch is defined as a coating material spread over the soil surface (Kasirajan & Ngouajio, 2012), and it helps to improve crop growth and yield as well as optimises water use efficiency (Yu et al., 2018). However, its effect on cotton production has not been studied very well in Uzbekistan. The objective of this study was to quantitatively evaluate the effects of plastic mulching on yield and water productivity in cotton in Uzbekistan.
Field experiment was conducted in typical gray soil of Tashkent Province, Uzbekistan. Plastic mulching treatment (MT) and without plastic mulch treatment (control, CT) were tested in three replications in paired comparison design. In MT, polyethylene film was mulched on the brooklets before the first irrigation. The amount of water input by flush irritation was measured with Thompson instrument. It was placed in the beginning (brutto) and at the end (netto) of every plots.
The average water input was significantly smaller in MT (591 m3/ha) than in CT (1035 m3/ha). Cotton yield in MT (3.53 t/ha) was significantly larger than in CT (2.7 t/ha). Consequently, the water productivity (yield/water input) in MT (5.99 kg/m3) was significantly larger than in CT (2.60 kg/m3). Expenses for purchase, setting and removal of plastic mulching are 58.2 USD/ha. The extra harvest in MT is 0.83 t/ha or 664 USD/ha. Thus, the overall net profit is 605.8 USD/ha. Mulching soil surface with black polyethylene film in crop cultivation had a benefit to save more water in irrigation and to increase yield. Disadvantages of plastic mulching, such as limitations, difficulties, and environmental impacts are aimed to study in further research.
