Vegetative Cover
Vegetative cover is the practice of
putting a protective layer of an organic or inorganic material that is spread
on top of the soil. Cover can either be organic, such as straw of paddy or
wheat, stover of maize, crop residues of various leguminous crops, and grass
clippings, or inorganic, such as plastics of varying color and thickness,
stones, and brick chips. Both organic and inorganic cover has several
benefits. In non-flooded rice systems, evaporation, as well as percolation losses, are reduced substantially by mulch which further increases WUE up to 60%.
Besides, mulch ensures earlier crop establishment (3 weeks), add organic
matter, increase yield (7-8%), increase nitrogen use efficiency (up to 20%), and
suppress weed seed germination.