Evaluation the Effects of Some Pre-plant Herbicide and Plastic Mulch on Weed Flora of Transplanted Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.)

To evaluate the effect of plastic mulch and some pre-plant herbicides on weed control and yield of transplanted tomato, an experiment was conducted in factorial arrangement as a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications at Fariman in 2015. The experimental factors including herbicide application at seven levels including no herbicide application and application of 3 and 1.5 L.ha-1 of Trifluralin, pendimethalin (stomp) and microcapsule formulation of pendimethalin (prowl) as first factor and second factor was mulch application at two levels including transparant and black plastic mulch. In addition a full season hand weeding as control treatment considered in each replication. Results indicated that using both of mulches (black and transparant) and pre-plant herbicides was controlled weeds compeletly and increased 60 percent of tomato biomass and 67.5 percent of fruit yield. Black mulch was more effective in weed control and increases tomato yield more than transparant mulch and in three date of sampling, black mulch was controled weeds compeletly. Using 3 lit ha-1 of herbicides showed the more weed control and tomato yield than 1.5 lit.ha-1 of herbicides, like using 3 lit.ha-1 of Trifluralin reduced 25 percent of weed biomass and increased 25 percent of of fruit yield. Using black plastic mulch with pre-plant herbicides showed that the highest weed control (100%) and highest tomato biomass (118 ton.ha-1) and highest tomato fruit (150 ton.ha-1) was obtained in black mulch with 3 lit.ha-1 of prowl herbicide. According to our results, we can use black plastic mulch with pre-plant herbicides for good control of weeds and earn the high transplanted tomato yield.