Effect of moisture conservation methods on the growth parameters of vegetables grown under rainfed conditions

The study aimed to assess the impact of various moisture conservation practices, combined with soil amendments, on the physicochemical and biological properties of soil, plant growth parameters and crop productivity in a region with an erratic rainfall pattern. A field experiment was conducted at the Advanced Centre for Rainfed Agriculture (ACRA), Dhiansar, Samba district, Jammu and Kashmir, for the years 2022-23 and 2023-24, respectively. This field trial was laid out in a split-plot design comprising twelve treatments with different mulches, replicated thrice. Various moisture conservation methods, including mulch (plastic and organic), along with soil amendments via biochar- 2 t/ha and 4 t/ha, rice husk- 2 t/ha, were compared to RDF (Recommended Dose of Fertiliser with no mulch). Findings revealed that in case of brinjal, T3 (RDF in combination with 4 t/ha biochar and Plastic Mulch (PM) on application revealed maximum plant height (2022: 84.3 cm, 77.3 cm; 2023: 85.3 cm, 83.0 cm) and fruit weight (2022: 178.6 g, 175.7 g; 2023: 204.7 g, 203.9 g), respectively and in onion, T3 (RDF in combination with 4 t/ha biochar) and PM recorded maximum plant height (2022: 90 DAT: 53.22 cm, 50.95 cm; 2023: 90 DAT: 54.0 cm, 51.60 cm) and maximum bulb weight (2022: 11485.93 g, 11048.06 g; 2023: 12233.33 g, 11616.67 g), respectively. Whereas, the control group T1 (RDF) with No Mulch (NM) showed the lower results for both consecutive years 2022-2023. The study highlights the importance of integrating moisture conservation methods in drip irrigation systems to optimise water use and enhance crop growth in rainfed agricultural systems.