2015 Volume 6 Issue 2 Pages 23-28
The study assessed the effectiveness of coconut frond or cocofrond mulch in managing weed and insect pest population in tomato crops. Specifically, it aimed to determine if cocofrond mulch can reduce weed infestation in tomato; to evaluate its influence in minimizing insect pest population affecting the crop; and to find out the yield performance of tomato mulched with cocofronds. Randomized Complete Block Design with four treatments and four replicates was employed in a 139.50m2 experimental lot using the Diamante Max variety. The woven and unwoven cocofronds, polyethylene plastic mulches, and control plots with hand weeding were compared. Weed and insect pest species, its population counts, and yield data were taken and analyzed statistically through analysis of variance and Tukey’s HSD Test. The findings revealed that either woven or unwoven coconut frond used as bed mulch was as effective as black plastic mulch in suppressing the dominant broadleaf, the Button weed (Borreria laevis) but had no effect on the populations of the other 17 minor weed species observed. Bed mulch reduced the numbers and damage caused by the 12-spotted ladybird beetle (Epilachna philipinensis remota) larvae but had no effect on its adult population nor on the damage caused by other pests like the green looper (Chrysodeixis chalcites) and fruitworm (Helicoverpa armigera) larvae. Neither coconut frond nor black plastic bed mulch had any significant effect on tomato crop’s yield. These findings are ample basis for a wider exploration on the potential use of coconut fronds as a low-cost weed and pest management techniques for organic vegetable production.
