Effect of Different Mulches on Potato at the Saline Soil of Southeastern Bangladesh

The present study was carried out to observe the effect of different mulches on the production of potato (Solanum tuberosum). Treatments with mulches-rice straw, water hyacinth and wastage of rice straw significantly increased potato yield over control. Salinity was found to be higher in the treatment without mulch than different mulch materials during the experimental period. From the average of two years results, it was found that highest yield (23.02 ton ha-1) and gross margin (TK69425) obtained by rice straw mulch followed by water hyacinth mulch with yield 22.23 ton ha-1 and gross margin TK 66084. The benefit cost ratio was found to be highest (2.51) in rice straw followed by water hyacinth (2.46), wastage of rice straw (2.08) and no mulch (1.69). The results indicate that potato could be cultivated in saline soil by minimizing salinity with application of mulch.