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2026 Vol.59, Issue 1 Preview Page

Short communication

Effects of dried Pangola (Digitaria eriantha) mulching on Potato (Solanum tuberosum) yield and soil properties
José Rafael Rodríguez Alonzo1†
,
Dayoung Kim2†
,
Dimas Liranzo3
,
Naryeong Kang4
,
Jae-Koo Kang5
,
Seong-Bin Kim6
,
Won-Il Kim7*
1Supervisor of field management, Dominican Institute of Agricultural and Forestry Research (IDIAF), Constanza 10205, Dominican Republic
2Research Assistant, Tropical Research and Education Center, Agronomy Department, University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, Homestead, Florida, United States 33031
3Professor, Universidad Agroforestal Fernando Arturo de Meriño (UAFAM), Jarabacoa 41000, Dominican Republic
4Senior Staff, The Korea Invention Promotion Association (KIPA), Seoul 06133, Korea
5Researcher, KOPIA Dominican Republic Center, Santo Domingo Oeste, Dominican Republic
6Junior Researcher, Korea Partnership for Innovation of Agriculture Division, Rural Development Administration, Jeonju 54875, Korea
7Director, KOPIA Dominican Republic Center, Santo Domingo Oeste, Dominican Republic
*Corresponding Author
†These authors equally contributed to this paper as first authors.
28 February 2026. pp. 113-120
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Abstract

The promotion of sustainable agriculture plays a crucial role in ensuring food security in a world where climate change and resource depletion threaten agricultural productivity. Maintaining a healthy environment involves preventing soil erosion, maintaining fertility, efficiently using water resources, reducing water pollution, minimizing the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, and preserving biodiversity. This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of dried pangola mulching on potato growth and yield. Three treatments were compared: plastic film mulching (T1), a control (T2), and dried pangola mulching (T3). The T3 treatment demonstrated a 36% and 14% increase in yield compared to T1 and T2, respectively, due to improved soil moisture retention, improved soil structure, and enhanced root zone temperature regulation. Specifically, T3 had a lower average temperature of 23.38°C, followed by T1 with 26.02°C and T2 obtained a higher average temperature with 27.29°C in the soils. This management approach is expected to enhance stable agricultural productivity, reduce dependence on external inputs, and enhance resilience to climate change.

Economic Efficiency (Benefic/Cost ratio) comparing with different covering treatments.
Treatment Yield (kg ha-1) Sale price (RD$ kg-1) Benefit (RD$ ha-1) Costs (RD$ ha-1) Economic efficiency-1)
T1 (Film) 33,914 44 1,492,216 815,824 0.83
T2 (Control) 40,446 44 1,779,624 729,943 1.44
T3 (Pangola) 45,960 44 2,022,240 724,142 1.79
Keywords
Pangola-grass
Potato cultivation
Soil conservation
Sustainable agriculture
Agri-food security
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Information
  • Publisher :Korean Society of Soil Science and Fertilizer
  • Publisher(Ko) :한국토양비료학회
  • Journal Title :Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
  • Journal Title(Ko) :한국토양비료학회 학회지
  • Volume : 59
  • No :1
  • Pages :113-120
  • Received Date : 2025-10-21
  • Revised Date : 2025-12-12
  • Accepted Date : 2025-12-12
  • DOI :https://doi.org/10.7745/KJSSF.2026.59.1.113
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