Effect of Different Mulch Paper on Growth and Yield of Different High Value Vegetables in Bangladesh

Abstract

The study was undertaken to identify the suitable mulch paper for different high-value vegetables during the winter season of November 2019 to March 2020 at the Olericulture research field of Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute, Gazipur, Bangladesh. The study was a randomized complete block design with 3 replications. Four vegetable varieties viz., tomato, brinjal, capsicum and broccoli and 3 mulch treatments viz., T1 = Silver over black mulch; T2 = Black mulch; T3 = No mulch were included in this study. Different vegetables responded differently with the changes of mulches irrespective of different characters. it was clear that fruit number, average fruit weight, fruit length, fruit diameter were strongly related to soil moisture content. The effect of different plastic mulches on fruit weight per plant and yield (t/ha) was significant. Mulching produced higher fruit yield per plant and fruit yield per hectare than for the control, indicating that the mulch had a positive effect in generating increased fruit yield. Silver over black plastic mulch produced the highest fruit yield viz., 98.05 t/ha (tomato), 54.11 t/ha (brinjal), 34.33 t/ha (capsicum), 26.09 t/ha (broccoli) followed by black and no mulches, while the control plot produced the lowest fruit yield.