3. Results
Mulching effect was significant on dry matter and fiber content (Table 2). Mulched tomato plants produced fruits
with more dry matter in them than the un-mulched plants. Between the mulching materials, fruits from rice-straw
mulch had more dry matter in fruits than those from polythene- mulched plants. There was significantly more
crude fiber in un-mulched tomato while there was no significant difference in crude fiber contents of tomato
mulched with either polythene mulch or rice-straw mulch.
Application of N-fertilizer significantly increased the dry matter content in fruits over control. There was
however no significant difference in the rates applied. The fiber content increased only with the N rate was raised from 45 to 90 kg N ha-1; beyond this rate the fiber content remained unaffected.
Irrigating at 10 days interval produced more dry matter and crude fiber in fruits than the 5-day irrigation interval.
Values for 10 and 15 days irrigation interval were statistically at par.
Mulching significantly increased both fruit protein and carbohydrate contents over un-mulched tomato (Table 3.)
While there was no significant difference in protein content of tomato mulched with polythene or rice-straw
mulch. Tomato mulched with rice-straw produced more carbohydrate than the one mulched with polythene.
Application of nitrogen significantly increased the contents of protein and carbohydrate over control. The
increase was however only up to higher rate of 90 kgN ha-1. Carbohydrate content thereafter depressed at the
highest N rate of 135kgN ha-1.
Increasing the irrigation interval from 5 to 10 and further to 15 days had significantly decreased and increased
tomato fruit protein and carbohydrates contents, respectively.
An interaction between mulching and N fertilizer rates on the carbohydrate content of tomato was observed
(Table 4). Application of 45 kgN/ ha-1 to un-mulched tomato increased the fruit carbohydrate content, while rates
above 90 kg/ ha-1reduced the fruit carbohydrate content. Tomato under straw mulch produced more carbohydrate
with the application of 90 kgN/ ha-1. Under polythene mulch however, increase in carbohydrate content was with
45kgN/ha rate. The higher rates depressed carbohydrate contents.