The objectives of this study was to evaluate the effect of mulching materials on water retention, tomato yield and yield components and water productivity. The experiment was laid out in RCBD consisting of four treatments namely:- black polyethylene mulch, white polyethylene mulch, Organic mulch and no mulch with three replications. The results revealed that application of mulching materials significantly influences the water retentions. From the result, maximum water retention (26.8 %) was recorded under black polyethylene mulch followed by Organic mulch as compared to no mulch plot. The result on fruit yield shown that, yield was increased up to 120% in plots mulched with black polyethylene over the no mulched plots. Among the different treatments applied for mulching, the maximum tomato yield (42.02 tonha-1) and (28.11 tonha-1) were recorded under black polyethylene mulch and Organic mulch respectively as compare to no much. The results revealed that application of polyethylene mulch significantly influenced the tomato yield and yield components. Among the applied treatments, the maximum and minimum plant heights (71.00cm and 38.33cm) were recorded under black polyethylene and no mulch respectively. The low mean yield of tomato (19.18 tonha-1 ) was recorded under no mulch. The study revealed that, the maximum water productivity (4.032 kg/m3) was obtained from black polythene mulch. Thus, it was conclude that, soil mulching materials have distinct effects on tomato development and yield depending on thier color materials. Based on result obtained, practice of mulching particularly with black polyethylene mulch can be recommended because of its higher water use efficiency, higher fruit yield and economically more profitable than the other mulching types for study area.

Keywords: Fruit yield, Mulching, Soil moisture, Polyethylene