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Mulching plays an important role in production of agricultural and horticultural crops in the current scenario of declining water table, soil degradation and climate change. The main objectives of mulching are to prevent loss of water by evaporation, prevention of soil erosion, weed control, to reduce fertilizer leaching, to promote soil productivity, to enhance yield and quality of field and fruit crops. So, mulching is useful to save our underground water resource, soil and environment for sustainable crop production. In this review paper, the literature clearly shows pronounced effects of mulching on soil health by improving the soil structure, soil fertility, biological activities, avoid soil degradation in addition to moisture conservation, regulating temperature, encouraging change in favourable micro-climate, check weed growth and ultimately increasing the productivity, quality, profitability and sustainability of crops and cropping systems irrespective of the system/situation.

′Umran′ Indian jujube is a widely grown cultivar due to its marketable quality and productivity, resulting in excellent market value. Despite its high quality, the product′s short shelf life poses a challenge for transportation, even within the domestic market. Hexanal with three concentrations (0.15%, 0.20%, and 0.25%) was applied to the fruit of ′Umran′ Indian jujube at both pit hardening and color break stages. Harvested fruits were stored for 28 days in a cold chamber of 7.5±1°C and 90-95% RH. The changes in fruit qualities were assessed with physicochemical characteristics, bioactive compounds, and enzymatic antioxidant activities every seven days. Fruits treated with hexanal of 0.20% reduced fruit weight loss and spoilage and maintained fruit firmness, soluble solids content, carotenoid content, and antioxidant activity. The activities of cell wall degrading enzymes investigated were suppressed. Of the antioxidant activities, superoxide dismutase and peroxidase were positively activated. Therefore, these results indicated that pre-harvest application of hexanal 0.20% improved physiochemical characteristics, maintained bioactive compounds, antioxidant enzyme activities, and extended the shelf life of Indian jujube fruits up to 21 days during cold storage.

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