A study was
conducted to determine the effect of low-tunnel, mulching (black and
transparent polyethylene or straw) and pruning treatments on yield and
earliness of tomato cv. Fuji F1 in unheated glasshouse. A 643.72%
increase in height (relative to height at the planting time) was
observed in plants grown under low-tunnel (tunnelled) than those grown
without tunnel (602.87%). Among the mulches, plant height increase was
highest with the straw mulch (679.13%). Stem diameter increase was
higher in plants tunnelled (265.36%) than plants grown without tunnel
(233.83%). Straw and transparent polyethylene mulches recorded higher
stem diameter than other mulches. The number of days to first harvest
was 117.97 for plants tunnelled and that for plants grown without tunnel
was 119.88. The shortest time to harvest was recorded in transparent
polyethylene (117.90 days), which was at par with black polyethylene
(118.17 days). Early fruit yield was higher in tunnelled and mulched
treatments than in other treatments. The crops pruned from the 4th
truss had more early yield than those pruned from the 8th truss. The
total yield was highest (5288.41 g) in plants tunnelled and pruned from
the 8th truss. Among the mulch treatments, straw mulch recorded the
highest yield while the control recorded the lowest. Fruit weight was
higher in crops tunnelled, mulched with straw and pruned from the 4th
truss. The results indicate that low-tunnels are useful for promoting:
crop development during the initial growth stages, early harvest and
high total yield. Mulching and pruning from the 4th truss are useful
for increasing the early yield. For a high total yield, straw mulching
and pruning from the 8th truss are recommended, however, pruning from
the 4th truss produces larger fruits. . |