Effect of drip fertigation and plastic mulching on growth and yield of tomato

Abstract: A study was conducted to assess the effect of drip fertigation and plastic mulching on tomato at Precision Farming Development Centre farm, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore. The experiment was laid out in a randomized block design with 9 treatments and 3 replications. The treatments consisted of 3 mulching levels of black plastic mulch of 50 micron thickness, 25 micron thickness and no mulch, and 3 fertilizer levels of 80, 100 and 120 % of Recommended Dose of Fertilizers (RDF). The results of the study showed that the different levels of drip irrigation and plastic mulching significantly influenced the plant growth parameters of tomato. Among the various treatments, black plastic mulch of 25 micron thickness and drip fertigation with 120 % RDF (240:300:300 kg of NPK/ ha) recorded maximum plant height (112 cm), earlier flowering, and fruit set and highest yield (67.41 t/ha). The highest net income and benefit cost ratio of Rs. 4,18,911/ ha and 3.66, respectively was also recorded in the black plastic mulch of 25 micron thickness along with fertigation @ 120 % RDF compared to other treatments.