Reponses of Tomato (Lycopersicon Lycopersicum Mill), Soil Temperature and Soil Moisture Content to Mulch Material and Mulching Rate in Ogbomoso and Mokwa, Nigeria

Tswanya Mn and Olaniyi Jo
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Tswanya Mn: Biotechnology Advanced Research Centre, Nigeria
Olaniyi Jo: Department of Agronomy, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Nigeria

Current Trends in Biomedical Engineering & Biosciences, 2017, vol. 10, issue 2, 33-41

Abstract: Field experiments were conducted at the Teaching and Research Farm, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso and Niger State College of Agriculture, Mokwa, in 2014 cropping season to examine the effects of mulch materials and mulching rates on fruit yield, soil temperature and soil moisture content of tomato variety. The experiment had fifteen treatments viz: three mulch materials (rice husk, groundnut shell and dry guinea grass) and five mulching rates (0, 5, 10, 15, & 20 in t ha-1), replicated three times. The experiment was laid out as split plot arranged in Randomized Complete Block Design. Data were collected on plant height, number of flowers, number of fruits and total fruit yield. Two environmental factors (soil temperature and soil moisture content) were determined. Data was analysed using analysis of variance (ANOVA) SAS package and treatment means compared using least significant difference (LSD) at 5% probability level. Mulching is beneficial to performance of tomato. Mulch types had no effect on fruit yield of tomato. Plants mulched with 15 t ha-1 produced the highest yield (23.30t ha-1) while control plots had the least value (8.13t ha-1). Soil temperature was best at mulching rate of 15t ha-1 and soil moisture content was at 20t ha-1. It could be concluded that mulching is beneficial to tomato production; mulch rate of 15t ha-1 performed better than other rates evaluated and could be recommended for the farmers within the study areas.

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Date: 2017
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:adp:jctbeb:v:10:y:2017:i:2:p:33-41

DOI: 10.19080/CTBEB.2017.10.555783

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