Response of Tomato Variety (Roma F) Yield to Different Mulch Materials and Staking in Kabba, Kogi State, Nigeria

Abstract

This experiment was carried out at student’s experimental field, Kabba College of Agriculture, Horticultural Section to investigate the response of tomato variety (Roma F) yield to different mulch materials and staking. A split plot experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications to randomize the staking levels and mulch materials in the main and sub-plots, respectively. The experiment comprised of two staking levels, i.e. stick staking (SST) and no- stick staking (NST) and six mulch materials, i.e. black polyethylene, white polyethylene, maize straw, palm fronts, grasses and no mulch. The parameters taken on soil physical and chemical properties are soil moisture content (%), soil temperature (^O C), soil pH, total nitrogen, available phosphorus and soil organic matter. Growth and yield parameters taken are as follows: average plant height, number of leaves, and number of fruits, stem girth, number of fruit per plant, fruit length, fruit diameter and yield per land area. Weeds were identified and their dry weights were measured. Data were collected from ten randomly selected plants in each plot. The data were statistically analyzed using GENSTAT. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed to find out the significance of variation among the treatments while the significant difference between mean treatments were separated using Duncan’s multiple range test (DMRT) at 5% level of probability.  The result obtained from this study indicated that mulch materials and stick staking affect significantly growth parameters of tomato, yield per plant and yield per land area.  The result also, indicated that plot mulch with black polythene performance best in terms of growth and yield and also improved soil physical properties better than either white polythene or organic mulch in the study area. It is therefore recommended that black polyethylene should be used as mulch materials for tomato production. However, better and stable fruit yield of tomato could be obtained with the practice of mulching in combination with staking. It is recommended that mulching should be carried out together with staking for higher fruit yield and black polyethylene should be use as mulch material in the study area.