Effect on Growth and Yield of Tomato (Solanum lycoperiscum L.) Crop under Open Field Conditions by Different Mulching Materials

A field experiment was conducted at Department of Agriculture, G.S.S.D.G.S. KhalsaCollege, Patiala during kharif season 2018-19 study the effect of mulching materials on growthand yield of tomato (Solanum lycoperiscum L.) under open field conditions. The experiment wasconducted in Randomized block design consisted of nine treatments and replicated three times.The results revealed that black plastic mulch recorded significantly highest fruit yield (294.30 qha-1) as compared to control (189.15 q ha-1). It was also observed that growth parameters i.e.highest plant height (65.33 cm) (45.3cm), leaf length (7.5cm), leaf breadth (4.03 cm), leaf areaindex (1.75 cm2), no of flower plant-1 (15.66). However, yield parameters like fruit weight (82.57cm), fruit length (6.89 cm), fruit diameter (6.14 cm) and higher total soluble solids (4.90° BRIX)and economics parameters were higher with black plastic mulch and other best treatment wasorganic straw mulch than the other.