EFFECT OF PRE-HARVEST REFLECTIVE MULCH ON GROWTH AND FRUIT QUALITY OF PLUM (PRUNUS DOMESTICA L.)

Plum fruit tend to decrease in taste during the rainy season due to insufficient sunshine and increased soil moisture. Thus, the purpose of this experiment was to examine the effect of reflective film mulching in the field on light intensity, soil moisture and fruit quality. The soil surface was mulched at 1, 2, 3, and 4 weeks before harvesting to investigate the optimum mulching time. Mulching at 5 weeks before harvesting could not be done because cultivation was difficult at this time. The light intensity was improved up to 16% by reflective film mulching. Soil moisture was lower under reflective film mulching than under an unmulched treatment because the film prevented water influx into the soil from rainfall, but was higher during the dry season due to reduced soil moisture loss. The earlier applications of reflective film mulching significantly reduced shoot length. The earlier reflective film cultivation was applied in field, the higher the soluble solids and marketable fruit ratios were observed. The application of the reflective mulch three weeks before harvesting showed the highest fruit quality in plum.