| Author's Name: |
Fatma S. Moursy, Fatma A. Mostafa & Nayera. Y. Solieman |
| Subject Area: |
Life Sciences |
| Subject |
Agricultural |
| Section |
Research Paper |
Keyword:
tomato, organic soil mulch, polyethylene mulch, soil temperature, soilborne diseases, plant growth parameters and yield.
Abstract
To investigate the best type of soil mulch in saving soil temperature and reducing soil borne diseases to avoid the fungicides used, four types of mulches and its impact on these targets as well as tomato growth and productivity (super strain B) were studied during 2013/2014 and 2014/2015 seasons at the Central Laboratory for Agricultural Climate (CLAC) Dokki, ARC, Giza, Egypt. Two thickness of organic mulch (rice straw, 3 and 6 cm) and two colors of polyethylene mulch (transparent and black) were used compared with non-mulched soil as control. Data of air and soil temperatures were daily recorded in order to determine the temperature profile during the studied periods. For count the fungal colonies (cfu/g soil), soil samples were frequently collected from the rhizosphere of all treatments and cultured on potato dextrose agar (PDA). In addition, the isolated fungi colonies were identified. On the other hand, plantsgrowths parameters i.e. plant length, stem diameter, shoot and leaves numbers as well as fresh and dry weight per plant were measured. Finally, early and total yield were determinate as well as average fruit weight and total number of fruits.
The obtained results indicated that, soil temperature increased by all mulch types tested (organic and polyethylene) compared to control treatment. Transparent mulch, however, recorded the highest soil temperature, followed by the black one. Moreover, soil temperature in the two thicknesses of organic mulch was relatively similar and less than the other treatments. Mulch treatments were very effective in reducing total count of fungi in soil, and polyethylene mulch was the best. Fusarim oxysporum, F. moniliforme, F. solani, Macrophomina phaseolina and Rhizoctonia solani were identified. Furthermore, the dominate species of fungi, however, was F. solani. On the other hand, transparent mulch followed by 3 cm rice straw mulch recorded the highest significant values in vegetative growth parameters. However, transparent mulch followed by 6 cm rice straw mulch reflected significantly the highest early and total yield followed by the 3 cm rice straw mulch and black polyethylene mulch. Finally, the economic evaluation reflected the same results from economic point of view.