Email:
kavitha.mp@tnau.ac.in
Address:
Horticultural College and Research Institute, Periyakulam, Tamil Nadu 625604, India
Black polythene mulch, Economics, Mechanical weeding, Mango leaf mulch, Non-chemical weed management, Tomato, Weed control efficiency
A field experiment was conducted to study the effect of non-chemical weed management practices on weeds, growth and yield of organic tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.). It was conducted at Western block, Horticultural College and Research Institute, Periyakulam during Kharif season of the years 2021 and 2022. The experiment was carried out in randomized block design with eight treatments and three replications. Tomato variety PKM 1 was raised at a spacing of 60 x 45 cm. Treatments include: tamarind leaf mulch at 4 t/ha; mango leaf mulch at 4 t/ha; paddy straw mulch at 5 t/ha; black polythene mulch (50 micron); live mulch with multi varietal grains (Navathaniyam) at 50 kg/ha; mechanical weeding twice at 15 and 30 days after transplanting (DAT); hand weeding twice at 15 and 30 DAT and unweeded control. Among different non-chemical weed management treatments, hand weeding twice at 15 and 30 DAT and black polythene mulch recorded significantly lowest grass, sedge and broad-leaved weed density and total biomass and higher weed control efficiency. Tomato plant growth parameters, viz. plant height and number of branches were higher with hand weeding twice at 15 and 30 DAT and black polythene mulch. Hand weeding twice at 15 and 30 DAT recorded significantly higher tomato fruit yield and higher net returns ( 3,87,000) and B: C (2.87) and was followed by black polythene mulch which recorded higher net returns of 3,00,500 and B: C of 2.25.