The main aim is to find out the influence of using colored plastic mulches (blue, white, green, red, black and white on black) compared with the mulch-free treatment on root zone temperature, growth and productivity of broccoli. The results indicated that the mean root zone temperatures recorded the highest in dark-colored mulches (blue, green, red and white on black) and lowest in light-colored mulches (white) in both winter and spring seasons. The average shoot length, leaves number and root volume of broccoli for all treatments was higher in the spring season compared with those of the winter season. The highest marketable head fresh weight values were 449.6 and 451.0 g found in black mulch, while the lowest values were 391.4 and 397.5 g found in the winter and spring seasons for red mulch, respectively. The N, P, K, Ca and Mg concentrations in broccoli heads ranged from 2.0 to 2.8, 0.9 to 1.0, 2.7 to 3.6, 1.9 to 5.9 and 0.5 to 0.89 %, respectively, for all treatments. |
