636 Journal of Sustainable Agriculture, 33:636–657, 2009 Copyright © Taylor & Francis Group, LLC ISSN: 1044-0046 print/1540-7578 online DOI: 10.1080/10440040903073719 WJSA 1044-0046 1540-7578 Journal of Sustainable Agriculture, Vol. 33, No. 6, Jun 2009: pp. 0–0 Journal of Sustainable Agriculture Soil Physico-Chemical Properties and Crop Yield Improvement Following Lantana Mulching and Reduced Tillage in Rainfed Croplands in the Indian Himalayan Mountains Mulching and Reduced Tillage Improves Crop Yield in Himalayan Mountains P. Kumar et al. PRAMOD KUMAR, MADHURI PANT, and G. C. S. NEGI G.B. Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment & Development, Kosi-Katarmal, (Uttarakhand), India In the rainfed crop fields of the Central Himalayan Mountains in India, low soil moisture and low soil fertility are the two major constraints on crop yield. Therefore, an experiment was conducted to test the hypothesis of whether mixing a high-quality (high foliar N, P, and K and low lignin) organic residue (Lantana camara leaves) with the relatively low-quality leaf litter of oak (Quercus leucotrichophora) and pine (Pinus roxburghii) forests, and then mulching the organic residue, would enhance the rate of organic residue decomposition and nutrient release to contribute to the soil fertility and crop yield of wheat and paddy in rainfed crop fields. To achieve the study objectives, Lantana residue was mixed with oak and pine leaf litter in four different proportions and applied under three tillage frequencies in 36 experimental plots in a completely randomized block design. These four mulch combinations were also studied for dry matter decomposition and nutrient release pattern. Results showed that both the decomposition rate (k = 1.86 yr -1 ) and rate of nutrient release from decomposing litter (N = 0.208 mg d -1 and P = 0.042 mg d -1 ) for Lantana residue were much higher than the other litter combinations. Mixing Lantana with other mulch materials positively influenced the decomposition and nutri- ent release of otherwise slow decomposing oak and pine leaf litter. The 100% Lantana mulched plots recorded substantially higher soil moisture among the four mulching treatments. The 100% Lantana Address correspondence to Dr. G. C. S. Negi, Scientist, G. B. Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment & Development, Kosi–Katarmal, Almora (263 643), Uttarakhand, India. E-mail: gcsnegi@yahoo.co.in