**3.10. Evaluation of soil temperature control**

The application of jute agro-textile mulch has influence on the control of soil temperature. This factor depends on various aspects of jute needle-punched nonwoven fabric design and parameters selected during manufacture of the fabrics. In this test, jute needle-punched nonwoven and commercial plastic mulch (black polyethylene sheet 50 g/m2 and thickness 20 µm) materials are compared with respect to control soil (without any mulch). A plot is made to determine soil temperature behaviour with respect to time against control [21].

Three earthen pots of the same size and shape were taken and the same quantity of alluvial soil is filled in each pot. The same quantity of water is poured in all the pots till saturation level is achieved and excess water is poured out. Under this condition, the surface water is allowed to evaporate for 24 hours so that the same ambient conditions are attained in all the pots. Needle-punched jute nonwoven and commercial black polyethylene sheets of 50 g/m2 microns are laid on the top of the soil on each pot. Utmost care is to be taken to see to it that no part of the soil surface is left exposed/uncovered by the agro-textiles/experimental materials. Before covering with the mulching materials, the soil temperature is measured in each pot. The temperature is measured approximately 1 inch below the soil surface at five different spots and averaged to determine the mean temperature. Soil temperatures are determined identi‐ cally as above at a fixed interval of two hours. This study needs to be continued for four days and temperatures recorded for all the three pots including control and can be represented graphically.
