Plastic mulch and smart irrigation boost tomato yields, feeding more with less water.
The study looked at how using plastic cover and different water levels affect tomato production. They wanted to find ways to grow more while saving water. By trying two water depths and having soil with and without plastic cover, they found that using plastic cover with more water led to the highest tomato yield. The plants with plastic cover had smaller fruit but more of them, which overall increased the yield. The height of the plants and water use efficiency stayed the same regardless of the cover or water levels used. So, using plastic cover with a certain amount of water can help farmers grow more tomatoes.