Effect of Growth and Yield of Brinjal (Solanum Melongena L.) Grown Under Different Poly Mulches

A study was conducted to determine the growth and yield performances of brinjal using four different mulch materials viz. white poly mulch, silver poly mulch, paddy straw mulch and control (no mulch) in the Low country intermediate zone, Makandura, Sri Lanka. Twenty-four raised beds were prepared and treatments were arranged according to the Complete Randomized Design. Four weeks old brinjal seedlings were transplanted in the beds and fertilizer application and aftercare operations were carried out according to the recommendations of the Department of Agriculture, Sri Lanka. Data were collected on soil moisture, soil temperature, number of plants attacked by shoot and pod borer, plant height at 15, 30, 45, 60 days after transplanting and yield. Data were analyzed by Minitab 15 software. The highest plant height was recorded in paddy straw mulch. The moisture content was significantly higher in poly mulches. The lowest pest occurrence was recorded in silver mulch whilst the highest total fruit yield was obtained from white mulch (505.6 kg). It can be concluded that, treatments were better than the control and white mulch was superior compared to other treatments. Therefore, the white poly mulch could be successfully used in Solanum melongena L. cultivation in low country intermediate zone, Sri Lanka