Impact and effect of plastic mulching and staking in tomato hybrids

Introduction

Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) is one of the popular vegetables extensively grown during the Kharif season in Karimnagar District of Telangana state. The Nutritional Value of tomato is good, water content in tomato is 95% while the rest 5% consists of carbohydrates and fibre. Tomatoes contain good quantities of Vitamin A, Vitamin C and Vitamin K while other vitamins like vitamin B6, folate and thiamine are also present. Minerals like potassium, manganese, magnesium, copper and phosphorus are present in tomatoes. This vegetable also contains dietary fiber and protein and a number of other organic compounds like lycopene which are extremely beneficial for our health. It is mainly grown in all seasons of Telangana. Among various factors responsible for higher yield, supply of nutrient and availability of moisture play vital role in the production and quality of tomato. Its production can be increased by adopting improved cultural practices like plastic mulching which is effectively reduce weed infestation and conserve moisture in the root zone and staking helps in reducing disease infestation and made easy to do cultural operations. This plastic mulch and staking practice also encourages deeper and denser rooting. Mulches have been found to decrease soil moisture losses by reducing soil temperature and evaporation, promoting favourable soil biotic activities, reducing hard soil setting and contributing plant nutrients. Plastic mulching has also been proven many times to provide a favourable soil environment by minimizing crusting at the soil surface and keep it stable. Based on this technology many farmers came forward to do same practices in Karimnagar district.

Materials and Methods

The experiment was conducted for two years during November 2020 to February 2023 at KVK, Jammikunta and in Thimmapur, Mogilipalem and Jammikunta Villages of Karimnagar District. Treatments of the experiment comprised with plastic mulching and Bamboos for staking. Materials viz. Nylon net, Bamboos (7.5 ft height) and black polyethylene (25 µ thick) with control (no mulching and no staking) and two varieties of tomato hybrids. The seedlings were transplanted on the 15 th November, 2020 maintaining a spacing 60 cm × 40 cm. The crop was fertilized with Farm yard manure 5 t/ha, Urea 500 kg/ha, DAP 200 kg/ha, MOP (muriate of potash) 200 kg/ha. Applied Fym and one third of the above fertilizer before installation of mulching.

Correct time and regular application of fertilizer helps in getting Yield and Quality of Tomato Tipu et al. RRJoAST (2014) [1] 12-14@ STM Journals 2014. Recorded data were analyzed after Application of fertilizer and management of pest and diseases. A wide variety of vegetables can be successfully grown by using mulches. Cucumbers, capsicums, melons, tomatoes, cole crops and okra have shown significant increase in earliness, yield and quality (Singh Balraj et al., 2005) [2] . Adelaine (1976) reported that staking increases fruit yield by 18 to 25%.

Results and Discussion

The results on the effect of plastic mulching and staking in rabi season tomato. The effects of mulching have been presented in Table 1.Staking and mulching significantly increased the total yield over without mulching and staking in tomato. Number of fruits, quality of fruits increased. Yield of tomato significantly increased in mulches over without mulching practices. The highest yield was recorded in 2021-22 was 145 t/ha and the lowest was in without mulch (80 t/ha). The highest yield was recorded in 2022-23 was 158 t/ha and the lowest was in without mulch (86.5 t/ha).The yield of tomato recorded in staking with plastic mulching Staking and sometimes cultural operations like pruning methods greatly affected fruit diameter and length with the highest fruit diameter and length recorded. Staking with wire trellis might have allowed better aeration and exposure of the foliage, thereby, enhancing photosynthetic activities which might be responsible for larger fruit size. Hesamil et al. Reported that increased fruit size of tomato because lateral branches were removed. So result obtained by staking tomatoes Kumar et al. who reported higher fruit diameter in staked tomato. The main effect of mulching was found highly significant in most of the parameters.

Conclusion

Plastic mulching and staking significantly influenced Yield, quality of the fruits and cost and benefit of tomato production. This study has demonstrated that there is hope of sustaining tomato production in rabi season with high quality fruits which gives high returns to the farmers by producing heavy yields. Plastic mulch and staking should recommend for tomato growers where farmers put their efforts in getting good yields and income.It has many benefits to control soil erosion, reduces weed growth and it is highly recommended practice under soil and water conservation practices. The study once again showed through reducing cost of cultivation and increased beneficial soil micro organisms.

Impact of the study: Based on the results and agronomical practices farmers come forward from Karimnagar district. This technology spread across all vegetable growing fields area of 1956 Ha of Karimnagar district.

References

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