Abstract:
Sugarcane is one of the important commercial crops. Burning of sugarcane trash inside the field in India is a common practice among farmers due to a lack of labor availability and less time available for the sowing of the next crop. This is a hazardous practice that has affected soil health, air, human health, etc. leading to massive as well as monetary losses Therefore, new eco-friendly agricultural practices for sustainable food production are needed. Intensive agricultural production is necessary to satisfy food requirements for the increasing population. Microbes are important in degrading environmental solid waste and restoring the ratio of degraded ecosystems. Conversion of crop residue like sugarcane trash into a beneficial nurtinet resource is the best alternative method to landfilling and insulation in developed countries. Insitu composting or Mulching could potentially serve the purpose of reducing soil evaporation, conserving moisture, controlling soil temperature, reducing weed growth, and improving microbial activities. Mulches combat different stress conditions in agricultural lands. This review paper focuses on multiple significant impacts of mulches or in situ composting for the production and establishment of different crops in nature. Mulches conserve soil moisture, enhance the nutrient status of soil, control erosion losses, suppress the weeds in crop plants, and reduce pesticide and fertilizer usage. The selection of mulching material is important with respect to crop type, management practices, and climatic conditions. Therefore, the impacts of low-cost, eco-friendly, and biodegradable mulching materials on soil microbes, nutrient balance, plant growth, and soil erosion should be explored in the future. Therefore, in-situ composting can be a good alternative to mitigate these problems.