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Mulching techniques are used for the conservation of moisture beneath the root zone and to reduce the evaporation rate. Soil moisture distribution under the mulching techniques is also important for good crop growth and root development. Soil water movement is dependent on the physical properties of water as well as equally depends on the conservation techniques. The present study was carried out in the School of Agriculture, Lovely professional university to study the soil moisture distribution under different mulching treatments. The four mulching methods and one no mulch technique were used as a conservation technique and moisture content were measured at 5, 10, 15, and 20 cm depth vertically and the same distance laterally. From the experiment, the results showed that the black and silver plastic mulch conserved maximum average moisture content (22.33 and 22.67 %) up to 20 cm depth. The lateral and vertical water movement in plastic mulch was superior to the no mulch technique. Minimum soil moisture content (15.26 %) was recorded in the soil mulch technique at 5 cm depth and it decreases as the lateral distance increases from the emitter. Paddy straw mulching technique conserved better moisture at depth 0-10 cm compared to no mulch and soil mulch technique.

The present study was carried out at Lovely Professional university, Phagwara, Punjab during 2019 to study the performance of okra under irrigation levels and mulching methods under drip irrigation. The treatment comprised of 3 irrigation levels (1.0 ETc, 0.8 ETc and 0.6 ETc) and 5 mulch methods (black plastic mulch, silver plastic mulch, straw mulch, soil mulch and no mulch) laid out in split plot design replicated thrice. The growth and yield attributes were significantly influenced by irrigation levels and mulching methods. The irrigation level I2 (0.8 ETc) significantly exhibited maximum plant height (100.45 cm), number of branches per plant (1.77), and yield per plant (216.59 g) whereas irrigation level I1 (1.0 ETc) recorded maximum pod yield (15.59 tonnes/ha) which is at par with irrigation level I2 (15.36 tonnes/ha). The black plastic mulch was found significantly superior over no mulch treatments in terms plant height, number of branches, pod yield per plant, pod yield (19.09 tonnes/ha). The maximum water use efficiency (0.41 tonnes/ha-cm) was recorded in irrigation treatment I3 and in black plastic mulch (0.46 tonnes/ha-cm). The interaction effect of irrigation and mulching not showed significant difference on pod yield but significantly affected water use efficiency. At interaction effect, the maximum water use efficiency (0.56 tonnes/ha-cm) in combination of I3 and M1. Maximum B:C ratio was recorded in irrigation level I1 (3.49) which is at par with I2 (3.40). Black plastic mulch recorded higher B:C ratio (3.40). The interaction effect did not showed significant effect on B:C ratio. Looking the higher yield of crop, water use efficiency and higher B:C ratio, it can be recommended that okra crop showed good performance under irrigation level I2 and black plastic mulch.