A COMPARATIVE STUDY BETWEEN DIFFERENT MEANS OF PROTECTION ON THE GROWTH AND YIELD OF WINTER TOMATO CROP

Plastic materials, i.e., low tunnels, mulching and the antitranspirant vapor gard were used as means of protecting winter tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) against cool weather. The cultivar UC 97/3 was used in this study. Maximum and average air and soil temperatures were higher under the low tunnels than the other treatments. Using tunnels increased the survival percentage, plant height, leaf area, number of leaves, transpiration rate and total yield per plant. Mulching increased the survival percentage, plant height, leaf area and the total yield per plant. Vapor gard at the concentrations of 1 and 1.5% increased the survival percentage and the leaf area, (although the other concentration lowered the transpiration rate) and increased the total yield per plant.