Impact of different types of mulches [wheat straw, paper mulchand sand mulch] on soil moisture

Experiment was conducted to study the effect of differentmulching material on evaporation from soil at the University of AridAgriculture, Rawalpindi during 2003. Soil columns were covered with2 cm layer of different types of mulches (wheat straw mulch, papermulch, sand mulch) and control (i.e. no mulch). The results indicatethat least amount of water loss occurred in wheat straw mulch,which was 50% less than the control treatment. The water loss frompaper mulch and sand mulch was 16.0 and 8.69% less than controlrespectively. Based on these results, it was concluded that strawmulch has greater potential of decreasing evaporation from soil byproviding a protective barrier against direct sunrays and windcurrents.