Effects of Mulching Material on the Early Fruit Yield of Tomato （Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.） Varieties under Polyhouse Growing Condition

Tomato is one of the most widely produced and consumed vegetable crops in Ethiopia. It is not produced during the rainy season, mainly due to high disease pressure and low soil temperature. Therefore, an experiment was conducted to study the effect of different types of mulch （black and white plastic mulch as well as grass mulch） on early yield of tomato varieties （Miya ＆ Cochoro） under polyhouse growing condition at Bahir Dar during the rainy season in 2012. Treatments were arranged in 4 - 2 factorial combinations in randomized complete block design with three replications. One month old seedlings were transplanted on 8.4 m2 gross plots size （3 m x 2.8 m） at a spacing of 70 cm x 40 cm between rows and plants, respectively. Data recorded from plants found in the two middle rows of each plot. Di-ammonium phosphate （DAP） and Urea fertilizers were applied at the rate of 200 kg and 100 kg/ha, respectively. Sixteen plants were considered for data collection in each plot. White plastic mulch resulted in significant