The effect of covering and mulching on the soil temperature, growth and yield of tomato

By improving the thermal and moisture conditions in the immediate vicinity of plants, plastic covers influenced the growth and development and increased the yield of vegetables. Soil mulching with organic material is one method of soil water protection and also helps maintain a constant soil temperature within the root system of crops. This study investigated the effect of plant covering and the type of straw applied to soil mulching (rye, corn, rape or buckwheat) on the soil temperature, development of the plant and the yield of ‘Polfast’ F1 tomato. The effect of the straw was compared to a control plot without mulch. Soil temperature at a depth of 10 cm was higher in covered plots than in the plot without covers. The increase in soil temperature as a result of covering amounted to 1.3°C at 8:00 a.m. and 1.7°C at 2:00 p.m. Both in the morning and in the afternoon, the soil temperature in the plots without straw and without covers and under polypropylene fibre was higher than in the plots with straw. The application of covers resulted in higher aboveground parts of plants and higher leaf area compared to cultivation without covers. Irrespective of whether a covering was used, all of the types of straw investigated in the experiment caused the acceleration of growth and development of tomato plants. Simultaneous plant covering and soil mulching increased the total yield of fruits but did not have an influence on the share of marketable yield of the total yield.