Abstract:
Tomatoes (Solanum Lycopersicum) need appropriate moisture content throughout
the growing season for optimal plant growth and yield, particularly in sandy soils
and hot regions. The objective of this study was to analyze and evaluate different
mulching practices that enhance soil qualities, growth, yield, and photosynthetic
responses of tomatoes. Land preparation was carried out using standard procedures
in order to provide uniform soil conditions for all tomato plants. Four-week-old
tomato plants were transplanted to the field with three replicates for each treatment
and plants were arranged in randomized complete block design. Soon after
transplanting, the base of each plant (2 feet diameter) was covered with the
mulching materials i.e. rice straw, sawdust, rice hull, tree litter, and blue color
polythene, and uncovered soil as the control bed. Plant height, number of leaves,
leaf area, chlorophyll content, number of flowers, and fruit weight were measured
until the fruiting period. Soil temperature, soil moisture, soil pH, and soil salinity
too were measured before and after the treatments. Blue polyethylene showed an
optimum soil temperature (27°C) and the soil pH and salinity did not differ
significantly among treatments. However, sawdust showed the highest moisture
content of soil (80%) and the second was blue polythene (70%). Blue color
polythene showed the highest mean value of plant height (74.83cm) and stem
diameter (1.20cm). Rice straw mulching treatment showed the highest mean value
(314.33) of a number of leaves. Blue color polythene treatment had the highest mean
value (12.7cm) in leaf length, highest mean value (5.53cm) of leaf width, and
highest mean value (24.33) of the number of flower clusters, the highest mean value
(0.378 g) of fruit weight and 3.55cm fruit diameter. Blue color polythene mulch
had the highest mean value (2.55 mg/g) of chlorophyll content. Rice straw mulch
showed the highest mean value (2.37mg/g) of chlorophyll b content. In terms of
overall plant growth parameters and yield parameters, blue polythene mulch and
rice straw mulch appeared to perform significantly better compared to all others.
As conclusion, blue polythene mulch and rice straw mulch resulted in a better
growth and yield but sawdust mulching resulted in better soil moisture retention.
