Abstract : Experiment carried out with different materials for two years revealed the beneficial effects of mulching on seedling emergence as well as yield. The average increase in seedling emergence over control (no mulching) was 97.3, 53.1, 35.7, and 28.6% in plots mulched with paddy straw, wheat straw, paddy husk, and wheat husk, respectively. Mulching with paddy straw and wheat straw resulted in 55.5% and 44.1% increase in grain yield, respectively, over no mulching. The reasons for the beneficial effects of mulch in seedling emergence and increase in grain yield is discussed
