Rice Straw Mulch in Zero Tillage Wheat
Wheat is a cereal crop of immense importance to us, and the demand is fulfilled at the cost of soil poisoning and contamination through a number of pesticides, herbicides and excess of fertilizers. Zero tillage has become popular among the progressive farmers and serves as an economical method to conserve soil moisture, nutrients and labor force. Mulching on the other hand has benefits of conserving moisture in the field and others. Adaptive Research Farms, Gujranwala, Pakistan have published a three year field experiment study to evaluate the possible merits of rice mulching in the zero tillage wheat fields. The outcome of the study are very promising and can be put to practical use. The research group evaluated that rice mulching in the field not only has its own merits but it also checks the weed growing in the field as well as improves the available phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) in the field. The study was conducted over a period of 3 successive seasons (2008-2011) at the Ada