MULCHING METHODS AND THEIR EFFECTS ON THE YIELD OF TOMATO (LYCOPERSICON ESCULENTUM, MILL.) IN THE ZETA PLAIN

摘要

The experiments were undertaken at the site of Zabljak meadow, Zeta plain fields in Donja Zeta. Wheat straw and wood sawdust (materials of organic origin) and black and red coloured plastic foils were used for land mulching. The control was soil without mulch materials. The experiment was set up according to the block system in four replications, with a density of 2.08 plants per square meter. The row spacing was 1.2 m, and the distance between the plants was 0.4 m. We hypothesised that tomatoes grown with different mulch materials should show differences in height, weight, shape, number of fruits and yield when compared with tomatoes cultivated on soil without mulching. The best results were achieved with plants grown on soil covered with mulch foils. Application of the red foil resulted in the best vegetative growth of plants, and the greatest number, weight and size of fruits, as well as the highest total yield. Slightly lower results were obtained with cultivation with the black foil, and average results were achieved with the straw and the sawdust. The lowest production occurred on the soil without any mulch. The yield with the red foil treatment was 3.55 kg (per plant) with the red foil treatment and 3.27 kg (per plant) with the black foil treatment. The yield with the soil covered with the straw and the sawdust was lower, with almost equal values of 2.53 kg (per plant) and 2.52 kg (per plant), respectively. The lowest tomato yield (2.47 kg per plant) was obtained on the soil without any mulch.