The effect of mulching on vegetative traits of grape seedlings and its comparison to drip and capillary wick irrigation systems

In the investigation of the effect of different mulches on the vegetative characteristics of grape seedlings and comparing them in drip and capillary irrigation systems, an experiment was conducted in the form of randomized complete blocks with three replications. In the main plots, drip and capillary irrigation methods were evaluated, and in the subplots, types of mulches including plastic, no mulch, sand-stubble, and stubble mulch were evaluated. Based on the results of the irrigation method, had a significant effect at the level of 1% on the collar diameter, seedling height, branches number, shading area, and leaves a number. The effect of mulch was also significant on the branches number, branches length, shading area and leaves number at the level of 1%. The highest seedling height, branch length, shade area, and leaf number were observed in the drip irrigation with plastic mulch, and the lowest amount of the mentioned traits were observed in the drip irrigation and no mulching. Based on the average comparison, in capillary irrigation, the application of mulch had no significant effects on the performance of vegetative traits, and in drip irrigation, the use of plastic mulch compared to the no mulch method Caused an Increase in the performance of collar diameter, seedling height, branches number, branches length, shading area and leaves number by 32.27, 47.56, 40, 68.61, 62.36 and 61.18%, respectively. Based on the results, there is no need to use mulch in capillary irrigation, and it is recommended to use transparent plastic mulch in drip irrigation.