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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Florence, South Carolina » Coastal Plain Soil, Water and Plant Conservation Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #76646
Title: COLORED MULCHES AFFECT YIELD OF FRESH MARKET TOMATOES INFECTED WITH MELOIDOGYNE INCOGNITA

Author
item FORTNUM, B - CLEMSON UNIV
item DECOTEAU, D - CLEMSON UNIV
item Kasperbauer, Michael

Submitted to: Journal of Nematology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/15/1997
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Recent studies have shown that light reflected from red mulch can increase shoot growth and early crop tomato yields by directing more photosynthate to shoots and developing fruit. However, nematode infection of roots can alter the growth regulator balance of a plant to direct more photosynthate to the infected roots, leaving less for shoot growth. We planted a nematode-susceptible variety of tomato in field plots of sterilized soil that were covered with red, black or white plastic mulch. Subplots within each mulch color were then inoculated with 0; 10,000; 50,000; 100,000; or 200,000 nematode eggs per plant to give a range of infection under the three mulch colors. Tomato yields declined as inoculum level increased. The effects of colored mulches on plant growth and root-knot disease were more pronounced in the spring than in the autumn. For example, plants inoculated with 200,000 eggs and grown over black mulch in spring yielded less than half as much as plants grown over red mulch. We conclude that mulch color can modify effects of root-knot nematodes on tomato production.

Technical Abstract: Effects of black, white and red polyethylene mulches on the quantity and spectra of reflected light, earliness of fruit set, fruit yield and quality, and root-knot disease were studied in field-grown tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum). White mulch reflected more photosynthetic light, and a lower far-red to red ratio than red mulch, whereas black mulch reflected less than five percent of any color. Soil temperatures and fruit yields were recorded for tomato plants inoculated with root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne incognita) at initial populations of 0; 10,000; 50,000; 100,000; or 200,000 eggs per plant and grown over the three colors of plastic mulch in both spring and fall. Soil temperatures were lower under white mulch than under red or black mulch. Tomato yields declined as inoculum level increased. The effects of colored mulches on plant growth and root-knot disease were more pronounced in spring than in fall. Plants grown over red mulch in the spring had the greatest early marketable yields and the largest number of fruits. Tomato plants inoculated with 200,000 eggs and grown over white mulch or red mulch in the spring yielded (102 and 111%, respectively) greater than similar plants grown over black mulch (7.39 kg and 7.71 kg vs. 3.65 kg/plot, respectively). We conclude that mulch color can modify effects of root-knot nematodes.