Mulching effects on soil temperature and yield of pear [Pyrus pyrifoila (Burm.) Nakai] in humid subtropical climate of Punjab

The effect of mulch materials on soil temperature and yield attributes in pear under subtropics of North Western region of India were studied for two years 2018 and 2019. The different mulches viz. paddy straw mulch (PSM), white polythene mulch (WPM) and black polythene mulch (BPM) were applied underneath the canopies of the 'Patharnakh' pear trees during the second week of April. The weedy check (control) and manual weeding plots were maintained to compare the relative effects of different mulch materials. Among the time intervals and years, the higher soil temperature was observed with the WPM mulch followed by BPM while the lowest soil temperature was recorded with PSM. The WPM treatment showed soil warming effect from the 16th to 28th standard meteorological week (SMW) during both years of investigation. Different mulches significantly influenced the fruit yield and quality attributes of the Patharnakh pear. The maximum fruit weight (152.8 g in 2018 and 159.4 g in 2019) and fruit yield (135.3 kg/tree in 2018 and 145.2 kg/tree in 2019) were observed in PSM, while minimum in control as weedy check (145.3 g in 2018 and 148.7 g in 2019) (120.5 kg/tree in 2018 and 126.8 kg/tree in 2019). PSM can be used as orchard floor management practice to improve fruit size and yield in Patharnakh pear.