Vol. 9, Issue 5, Part C (2025)

A field experiment was conducted on summer okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L. Moench) during the two succeeding years i.e. summer 2017 and summer 2018 at Vasantrao Naik Marathwada Krishi Vidyapeeth, Parbhani. Effect of irrigation levels and plastic mulches on soil moisture conservation was evaluated by comparing and assessing the magnitude of excess soil moisture retained in the soil profile compared to control (without mulch) treatment. The field experiment was laid out in split plot design wherein main plots were assigned to three drip irrigation levels viz. 0.8ETc, 1.0ETc and 1.2Etc and subplot to three plastic mulches transparent plastic mulch(TPM), black plastic mulch(BPM) and silver-black plastic mulch(SBPM) with control (without mulch). Among the different mulches, SBPM was found to be more effective for conserving soil moisture (15.94% and 13.17%) followed by BPM (10.64% and 8.06%) and TPM (5.66% and 3.96%) over the control in 20217 and 2018, respectively. Yield of okra in SBPM was 179.22 q/ha, which was significantly higher (P < 0.05) as compared to other plastic mulches and control. Among different plastic mulch treatment, SBPM recorded significantly highest mean water use efficiency 42.90 kg/ha/mm followed by that in BPM 37.79 kg/ha/mm and TPM 32.77 kg/ha/mm. The significantly lowest mean water use efficiency of 21.66 kg/ha/mm was observed in control (without mulch). As regard to mulches, the highest B:C ratio (2.18 and 2.07) was observed in SBPM treatment followed by BPM (2.01 and 1.84) and TPM (1.75 and 1.66) during 2017 and 2018, respectively. The lowest B:C ratio (1.65 and 1.55) was observed in control. In conclusion, drip irrigation in combination with plastic mulch, especially silver black plastic mulch, is recommended as more effective method in improving water use efficiency (WUE) and increasing crop yield of summer okra in Marathwada region.