Abstract:
The effect of mUlching and staking on the development of early and late leaf blight of tomato
(Lycopersicon esculentum (Mill))· caused by Alternaria solani (Ell. & Md.rt.) and
Phythophthora injestans (Mont.), respectively, were studied using a randomized complete
block design replicatedfour times. Mulching and staking significantly (P = 0.05) reduced the
incidence of early and late blights by 5 to 20% and increased fruit yield more t~an two folds
compared to unmUlched and unstaked controls. The apparent rate of infection of the two
pathogens was also significantly lower (P = 0.05) in mulched and staked tomato than in the
controls. Mulching was more effective than staking in suppressing early and late blight diseases
in tomato. Mulching and staking when combined significantly (P = 0.05) reduced the
incidence of the two diseases' by 20% compared to when the two practices were used separately.
