PLANT CELL BIOTECHNOLOGY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY

The present field experiment was conducted during the Rabi season of 2025–26 at the Horticulture Experiment Field, School of Advanced Agriculture Sciences and Technology (SAAST), Chhatrapati Shahu Ji Maharaj University, Kanpur (U.P.). Eight mulching treatments, namely T1: Control (No Mulch), T2: Dry Grass, T3: Paddy Straw, T4: Saw Dust, T5: Dry Leaves, T6: Transparent Plastic Mulch (50 micron), T7: Black Plastic Mulch (50 micron), and T8: Wheat Hay, were evaluated in a randomised block design with three replications. The assessed quality characters included total soluble solids (TSS), lycopene content, fruit juice pH, and titratable acidity, together with physical fruit characters, namely polar diameter, equatorial diameter, average fruit weight, number of locules per fruit, and pericarp thickness. Black Plastic Mulch (T7) recorded the highest TSS (5.12 °Brix), lycopene content (2.58 mg/100 g), and fruit juice pH (5.01), along with the lowest titratable acidity (0.48%), indicating better biochemical quality. T7 also recorded the maximum polar diameter (5.72 cm), equatorial diameter (5.20 cm), average fruit weight (58.57 g), number of locules (4.60), and pericarp thickness (7.73 mm) among all treatments. Organic mulches, particularly Paddy Straw (T3) and Dry Leaves (T5), performed better than the unmulched control for all quality parameters. All mulching treatments were significantly superior to the control (T1), which recorded the minimum values for all quality traits. Based on these findings, Black Plastic Mulch may be considered for improving tomato fruit quality under the Central Plain Zone of Uttar Pradesh.