Effects of Mulches on Soil Properties and Tomato Production I. Soil Temperature, Soil Moisture and Marketable Yield

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Abstract
The effects of hay, compost, plastic and paper mulches on soil temperature, soil moisture and yield of paste tomato were evaluated on five farms in Virginia. Organic mulches reduced afternoon soil temperature and maintained higher soil moisture levels than other treatments. Black plastic mulch increased soil temperatures by 1-2 degrees C, but sometimes resulted in lower soil moisture levels in early summer, probably by hindering penetration of rainfall. Both undyed kraft paper and black paper mulches reduced afternoon soil temperature slightly. Oiled paper initially increased afternoon soil temperature by 4 degrees C, but this effect diminished over time. Paper mulches decomposed before the end of the season, allowing increased evaporative losses of soil moisture. Mulch treatments apparently affected early tomato yield by influencing soil temperature regime, but affected later yields by modifying soil moisture levels. Early yields were generally highest with black plastic mulch and lowest in organic mulches, with paper mulch intermediate. At sites not affected by late blight, total yields were generally: organic mulch greater than or equal to plastic greater than or equal to paper > unmulched. At sites affected by late blight, later-maturing fruit were lost, so that the delay in ripening in soil-cooling organic mulches resulted in a significant yield reduction compared to black plastic.