Progressive Horticulture

The experiment was carried-out in two consecutive years (2016–17 and 2017–18, respectively) at Vegetable Research Farm, Kalyanpur, Kanpur. This was consisted of four different dates of transplanting, viz., 15^th October; 31^st October; 15^th November and 30^th November along with four types of mulches (Black polythene, White poly polythene; Paddy straw and Control-without mulch) and the experiment was laid out with factorial randomized block design with following four objective: -find out the frequency of different dates of transplanting; observe the effect of different mulches; find out interaction of different dates and mulches and work out economics of above treatments of the experimentation. The present study revealed that the tomato seedlings transplanted on 30^th October and application of paddy straw as mulch significantly increased the growth attributing traits viz.-plant height, number of branches (primary and secondary); flowering characters, viz.,-days to 50% flowering, number of flowers per inflorescence, inflorescence per plant, days taken to first and last harvest; yield attributing characters viz.-number of fruits per plant, fruit weight, marketable and non-marketable yield and total yield; quality characters viz.-fruit firmness, total soluble solids acidity and ascorbic acid content. This treatment combination also reduces the weed-intensity, weed bio-mass (fresh and dry weight), individual weed species at harvesting stage and disease intensity during both the years of experimentation. The seedlings transplanted on second date ie. 30^th October and application of bio-mulch (paddy straw) found economically better than other treatments. The maximum benefit-cost ratio (3.73 and 3.86) was also found in 30^th October transplanting as compare to control (without mulch)-2.75 and 2.85, respectively.