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Evaluation of Mulches for Enhancing Lac Production in Ber Under Rainfed Condition in Bangladesh

Dr. Md. Faruque Hossain
Senior Scientific Officer
On-Farm Research Division, BARI, Gazipur-1701.

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

The study was undertaken at Farming System Research and Development (FSRD) site, Kadamshahor, Godagari, Rajshahi during 2013-2014 and 2014-15 at baishakhi lac crop season to observe the yield potentiality of lac and to evaluate the performance of different mulches on soil moisture retention, soil temperature and weed suppression in High Barind Tract. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design with 5 treatments and 3 replications. The lac insect settlement on the host, the nymphal secretion covered its body forming cell in which the life cycle was completed from November to June for brood lac and November to May for stick lac. The number of final population mortality and yield of lac insect of different mulches were statistically significant. The highest mortality was noticed in control (89.13% and 88.89% in 2013-14 and 2014-15 respectively) and the lowest yield was 2.53 kg/tree 2.51 kg/tree in 2013-14 and 2014-15 respectively. On the contrary, the lowest mortality was found in black polyethylene mulch (83.71% and 82.76 in 2013-14 and 2014-15 respectively) and highest yield was 6.90 kg/tree and 7.05 kg/tree in 2013-14 and 2014-15 respectively followed by white transparent polyethylene (5.80 kg/tree and 5.97 kg/tree) and straw mulches (4.90 kg/tree 5.08 kg/tree) in 2013-14 and 2014-15 respectively. Black polyethylene mulch conserved the highest soil moisture and was found significant over control in all others treatments. Soil temperature recorded was found to be the highest under white transparent polyethylene mulch while the lowest temperature was recorded from control. Observations on weed biomass indicated that black polyethylene was superior over other mulch materials.

Keywords: Mulches, Lac production, Ber under rainfed condition

Location: FSRD site, Kadamshahor, Godagari, Rajshahi

Start Date: 00-00-2013

End Date: 00-00-2015

Program Area: Socio-economic and Policy

Non-commodity: Performance

Objectives:

To evaluate the performance of different mulches, the soil moisture retention, soil temperature, weed supperession & lac yield.

Methodology:

The investigation was carried out at FSRD site, Kadamshahor, Godagari, Rajshahi during 2013-2014 and 2014- 15 at baishakhi lac crop season to observe the yield potentiality of lac and to evaluate the performance of different mulches on soil moisture retention, soil temperature and weed suppression in High Barind Tract. Four mulch materials viz., black polyethylene, white transparent polyethylene, straw mulch and dust mulch were evaluated for assessment of soil moisture retention, soil temperature, weed suppression and lac yield (rangeeni baishakhi season crop on ber). Soil moisture content was evaluated for two depths i.e., 0-30 cm and 31-60 cm for all the treatments during November to April. Soil temperature data was also recorded for the same period. Weed samples were collected before imposition of the mulch materials and after harvesting of rangeeni lac crop on ber for determination of weed reduction under treatments. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design with 3 replications and 5 treatments. One host plant was considered as one replication of the treatment and all the plants were about 15 years old. Pruning was done for lac host at the April 2013 and April 2014 for baishakhi lac crop season. Pruning of host plants was necessary to get the maximum number of soft and succulent shoots that facilitate feeding of the lac insects and provide maximum space for settlement on the plants for obtaining a successful and bumper crop. Seeds were collected from the same host and seed rate was 50 sticks (each stick of 1 feet length) per plant. During inoculation, the brood lac sticks were tied onto the host branches both vertically and horizontally to get full inoculation in the young 'shoots. After 7 days, when the inoculation was complete, the seed sticks bearing the lac were collected from said host plants and brought to the store for collection of stick lac (raw lac). After complete settlement of the nymphs on young shoots, the number of nymphs/cells was recorded separately from 10 cm length of the randomly selected 5 shoots. Harvesting of lac was done at the last week of April. After harvest, the lac crops were scrapped-off from the collected lac sticks by sharp knives and the fresh weight of stick lac was recorded. The data were then analyzed statistically and mean separation was done by DMRT.

Source of Information: Procedings of Research Review 2014-15 and Programme Planning 2015-16 on Agroforestry Research Activities in Bangladesh, Forestry Unit, NRM Division, BARC, PP:09-15

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

The number of final population mortality and yield of lac insect of different mulches were statistically significant. The highest mortality was noticed in control (89.13% and 88.89% in 2013-14 and 2014-15 respectively) and the lowest yield was 2.53 kg/tree 2.51 kg/tree in 2013-14 and 2014-15 respectively. On the contrary, the lowest mortality was found in black polyethylene mulch (83.71% and 82.76 in 2013-14 and 2014-15 respectively) and highest yield was 6.90 kg/tree and 7.05 kg/tree in 2013-14 and 2014-15 respectively followed by white transparent polyethylene (5.80 kg/tree and 5.97 kg/tree) and straw mulches (4.90 kg/tree 5.08 kg/tree) in 2013-14 and 2014-15 respectively. Black polyethylene mulch conserved the highest soil moisture and was found significant over control in all others treatments. Soil temperature recorded was found to be the highest under white transparent polyethylene mulch while the lowest temperature was recorded from control. Observations on weed biomass indicated that black polyethylene was superior over other mulch materials.

Knowledge Management: Report/Proceedings