A field experiment was conducted to study the “Influence of mulching on soil moisture retention, weed dynamics and productivity of pigeonpea [Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.]” at Instructional Farm of College of Agriculture, Vijayapura, during kharif 2023. The experiment was laid out in RCBD with three replications. The experiment consisted of 10 treatments involving mulching with in situ sunhemp, bajra, cowpea and greengram at 50 DAS, respectively, ex situ mulching with Glyricidia, Subabul, Pongamia at 10 t ha-1, respectively. Dust mulching, Black polyethylene (30 micron) and Control (without mulching and weeding). Among the different treatments, significantly higher soil moisture (%) was recorded with use of black polyethylene film as compared to all other treatments except in situ sunhemp mulching at 50 DAS. Among the different treatments, significantly higher plant height (180.7 cm at 120 DAS), number of branches per plant (32.87 at 120 DAS), total dry matter production (219.68 g plant-1 at 120 DAS), leaf area index (4.46 at 120 DAS), number of pods (269 plant-1), seed yield per plant (58.53 g plant-1), seed yield (1934 kg ha-1), stalk yield (4727 kg ha-1) and higher output energy (28429 MJ ha-1) was recorded with the use of black polyethylene film as compared to all other treatments except the treatment in situ sunhemp mulching at 50 DAS. Significantly higher net returns (`101347 ha-1) was recorded with the treatment in situ sunhemp mulching at 50 DAS as compared to all other treatments except use of black polyethylene film. In situ sunhemp mulching at 50 DAS was recorded significantly higher benefit cost ratio (3.72) as compared to all other treatments. The lower seed yield, net returns and benefit cost ratio was recorded with Control (without mulching and weeding) due to higher weed density and lower soil moisture retention as compared to all other treatments.