• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.237-243
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• 2001

The experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of different mulching materials on the growth and quality of oriental melon in protected cultivation. Soil temperature, plant growth and fruit quality were affected by different mulching materials, clear polyethylene (P.E.) film (control), clear inset between black P.E. film, green P.E. film. and recycled ethylene vinyl acetate (E.V.A.) film. The highest night soil temperature was at 20 cm depth under green P.E. film, but was at 5 cm depth under other materials. Difference of soil temperature as affected by mulching materials decreased with increasing soil depth. Plant height, number of nodes, leaf area index (LAI), crop growth rate (CGR), and relative growth rate (RGR) at 30 days after transplanting were significantly greater in the recycled E.V.A. film treatment than in the other treatments. Fresh weight of weeds growth under the mulching materials was not affected by mulching material at 30 days after transplanting. However, it was the greatest under clear P.E. film mulching at 90 days after transplanting. Harvesting time of recycled E.V.A. film was 2 days earlier than that of clear P.E. film. Difference in fruit weight and length, and soluble solid content were not affected by the mulching materials. Marketable yield was 2,426 kg.10a$^{-1}$ in recycled E.V.A. film treatment, which was 6% greater than in clear P.E. film treatment.