Effect of grass mulch on performance of tomato (Lycopersicon lycopersicum karst.) cultivars during the hot season in the semi-arid zone of Nigeria

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted in 2008 and 2009 at Salam Farm of Ngaburari village of Konduga Local Government Area of Borno State (Lat.120N and Long. 13013’E) to determine the effects of mulching on some cultivars of tomato (Lycopersicon lycopersicum, Karst.) under the hot weather condition in the Semi-Arid Region of Nigeria. The treatments consisted of five cultivars of tomato (Tandino, Danbaga, Roma VF, UC82B and Dansyria) and six grass mulch (Pennisetum pedicelatum Trin) levels (0, 2.5, 5, 7.5, 10 and 12.5 tons per hectare (t ha^-1)) which were laid out in a strip-plot design and replicated three times. The characters studied include; plant height, number of leaves, leaf area, number of fruits per plant, weight of fruits per plant and yield in t ha^-1. The results showed that mulching from 5 t ha^-1 was generally favourable for the growth characters, while 7.5 t ha^-1 and above was favourable for yield characters and yield. Mulching from 5 t ha^-1 was generally favourable for the growth characters, while 7.5 t ha^-1 and above was favourable for yield characters and yield. The interaction between Roma VF and 7.5 t ha^-1 mulching produced the best yield (4.25 t ha^-1) compared to other treatments interactions hence recommended in the study area. Though mulching increased yield over the control for all the cultivars studied, there is the need to evaluate other strategies to further increase the yield of tomato during the hot season in the semi-arid region of Nigeria.