Effect of transplanting dates and mulching on yield of tomato

As tomato is day neutral plant, many varieties are planted round the year. But there is a need to ascertain appropriate transplanting date to achieve higher quantitative and better qualitative yield. Temperature and light intensity play a vital role in tomato plants growth, fruit setting, number of seeds and thereby the shape of fruits. Historically, vegetable growers have employed plastic films for mulching to reduce the growth of weeds, soil erosion by wind and water, leaching of fertilizer and the development of plant pest-diseases coming from the soil. Plastic mulch directly affects the microclimate around the plant by modifying the radiation budget of the surface and decreasing the water loss. The decrease in soil water evaporation results in a more uniform soil moisture content and a reduction in the amount irrigation water, which is very important in summer crops in dry areas. Very little information is available regarding the time of transplanting in conjunction with different mulch materials on growth and yield of tomato at Indian conditions in general and the South Gujarat conditions in particular. Hence this book reveals the combined effct of both the factors.