This document discusses different agronomic measures for controlling water erosion, including contour cropping, strip cropping, and mulching. Contour cropping involves planting crops across slopes to protect topsoil and induce more infiltration, and is suitable for slopes between 2-10%. Strip cropping grows crops in narrow strips across land slopes to check surface runoff and force infiltration. Mulching covers soil with plant residues or plastic sheets to minimize rain splash, reduce evaporation, control weeds, and prevent sheet and rill erosion. Different types of mulching include synthetic, petroleum, conventional, stone, and organic mulching.

1. AGRONOMIC MEASURES FOR WATER
EROSION CONTROL
TOPICS TO BE COVERED
• CONTOUR CROPPING
• STRIP CROPPING
• MULCHING
• PRESENTATION BY:UTKARSH JAIN

2. INTRODUCTION
• AGRONOMIC MESURES: MORE ECONOMICAL,
LONG LASTING AND EFFECTIVE TECHNIQUE.
• WIDELY USED MESURES ARE;
1.CONTOUR CROPPING
2. STRIP CROPPING
3.MULCHING

3. CONTOUR CROPPING
• USED ON SLOPES.
• WHY??
• ANSWER:TO CONTROL SOIL LOSSES.
• INVOLVES PLANTING CROPS ACROSS SLOPE.
• IT PROTECTS TOP SOIL
• INDUCES MORE INFILTRATION.
• SUITABLE FOR SLOPES B/W 2-10%.

4. STRIP CROPPING
• PRACTICE OF GROWING ORDINARY CROPS IN RELATIVELY NARROW STRIPS .
• IS GROWN ACROSS LAND SLOPE.
• STRIP CROPS CHECKS SURFACE RUNOFF AND FORCE IT TO INFILTRATE IN SOIL
• THIS FACILITATES CONSERVATION OF RAINWATER.
• DECIDED IN AREA WHERE SLOPE IS NOT TOO LONG

5. • STRIP CROPPING IS LAID BY 3 METHODS:
1.CONTOUR STRIP CROPPING
• ALTERNATE SROP STRIPS ARE SOWN MORE OR LESS FOLLOWING CONTOURS.
• SUITABLE CROP ROTATIONS AND TILLAGE OPERATIONS ARE FOLLOWED.
2. FIELD STRIP CROPPING
• STRIPS OF UNIFORM WIDTH ARE LAID.
• LAID ACROSS PREVAILING SLOPE.
• STRIPS ARE LAID ACROSS PREVAILING DIRECTION OF WIND.
• FOLLOWED IN:AREAS OF;
I.TOO CURVY CONTOUR LINES
II.IRREGULAR TOPOGRAPHY.
3.BUFFER STRIP CROPPING
• CROP STRIPS OF UNIFORM WIDTH ARE REQUIRED.
• LAID FOR SMOOTH OPERATIONS OF FARM MACHINERY.

6. MULCHING
• SOIL IS COVERED WITH PLANT RECIDUES OR PLASTIC SHEET.
• USED TO: I.MINIMIZE RAIN SPLASH
II. REDUCE EVAPORATION.
III. CONTROL WEEDS.
IV. PREVENT SHEET AND RILL EROSION.
V. IMPROVE INFILTRATION CAPACITY.

7. MULCHING MATERIAL
• CUT GRASSES
• STRAW MATERIALS
• SAW DUST
• WOOD CHIPS
• PAPERS
• STONES
• GLASS WOOLS
• METAL FOILS
• CELLOPHANES
• PLASTICS

8. TYPES OF MULCHING
1. SYNTHETIC MULCH
• INCLUDES ORGANIC AND INORGANIC LIQUIDS.
• SPRAYED ON SOIL SURFACE TO FORM THIN LAYERS.
• CONTROLS VARIOUS ATMOSPHERIC AGENTS.
• EX. RAISINS,ASPHALT EMULSIONS.

9. TYPES OF MULCHING
2. PETROLEUM MULCH.
• EASY TO APPLY & LESS EXPENSIVE.
• AVAILABLE IN FORM OF EMULSIONS OF ASPHALT OF WATER.
• EMULSION IS SPRAYED AT AMBIENT TEMPERATURE ON SOIL SURFACE.
• FORMS A THIN FILM IN CONTINUOUS FORM THAT CLINGS BUT DO NOT
PENETRATE IN SOIL SURFACE.
• PROMOTES RAPID SEED GERMINATION.

10. TYPES OF MULCHING
3. CONVENTIONAL MULCH.
• THIS METHOD:
I. CONSERVES MOISTURE
II. REDUCES SOIL TEMPERATURE FLUCTUATION.
III. PROTECTS SOIL FROM IMPACT OFF RAINDROPS.
IV. INCREASES INFILTRATION
• DURING DAY: MULCH BECOMES HOT SOIL REMAINS COOL
• DURING NIGHT:VICE VERSA
• IN THIS HAY OR STRAW IS USEDFOR MULCHING.

11. TYPES OF MUCLHING
4. STONE MULCH.
• INVOLVES SPREADING OF STONES ON GROUND SURFACE.
• PREVENTS WIND EROSION.
• FOLLOWED IN ARID ZONES.
• SOIL: REMAINS IN MOIST CONDITION.
• SOIL TEMP:SLIGHTLY HIGHER.
• SHELTERS SMALL ANIMALS .
• INVOLVES HIGH NITRIFICATION.

12. TYPES OF MULCHING
5. ORGANIC MULCHING.
• TREE BRANCHES,LEAVES,GRASSES ETC ARE USED.
• SUPERIOR IN: I. MOISTURE CONSERVATION,
II. REDUCTION IN RUNOFF & EVAPORTAION.
• EFFECTIVE FOR CONTROLLING EVAPORATION AT RAINFALL AT FREQUENT
INTERVALS AND VICE VERSA.