Abstract

The mulch application on top of soil surface may effect on soil physical conditions by reducing evaporation losses, soil moisture and soil temperature which in turn affect the distribution of soil elements through soil profile. This work presents a study of the effects of mulch on movement and distribution of soil properties including pH, soil salinity and major nutrition plant available N, P and K in organic palm farming by use different irrigation rates. The decreasing in soil pH more pronounced in surface layer compared to subsurface layers. Soil salinity of surface layers were lower than sub surface layers in mulched treatments for both tow time samples, under organic farming system, Soil moisture and mulch were shown to have a strong indirect influence on the amount of available soil nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. The highest value of total nitrogen in the soil was recorded in the presence of mulch with the availability of 100 % of the recommended irrigation, where the conditions are very suitable for the mineralization N process. With respect of available phosphorus and potassium, it has given highest values in the presence of mulch with the availability of moisture up to 70% and 85% of recommended irrigation, respectively.