Jr. Teasdale et Aa. Abdulbaki, SOIL-TEMPERATURE AND TOMATO GROWTH-ASSOCIATED WITH BLACK POLYETHYLENEAND HAIRY VETCH MULCHES, Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science, 120(5), 1995, pp. 848-853
Temperature and root length at selected locations within a raised bed
under black polyethylene, hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth) residue, or
bare soil were measured and correlated with tomato (Lycopersicon escu
lentum Mill.) growth, Early in the season, before the tomato leaf cano
py closed, soil temperature was influenced more by vertical depth in t
he bed than by horizontal position across the bed, Maximum soil temper
atures under black polyethylene averaged 5.7 and 3.4C greater than tho
se under hairy vetch at 5 and 15 cm deep, respectively, More hours at
optimum temperatures for root growth (20 to 30C) during the first 4 we
eks of the season probably accounted for greater early root and shoot
growth and greater early yield of tomatoes grown with black polyethyle
ne than hairy vetch residue or bare soil, After canopy closure, soil t
emperatures under tomato foliage within the row were reduced by an ave
rage of 5.2 and 2.2C at 5 and 15 cm deep, respectively, compared to th
ose on the outer edge of the beds. Most tomato roots were in areas of
the bed covered by the tomato canopy where temperatures in all treatme
nts remained in the optimum 20 to 30C range almost continuously, Soil
temperature, therefore, did not explain why tomato plants in the hairy
vetch treatment had equal or higher total yields than the black polye
thylene or unmulched treatments.