The search for sustainable agriculture is a reality that aims saving water and agricultural inputs to obtain greater productivity. Some techniques can be used for this purpose, such as drip irrigation and the plastic mulch of the soil. Thus, the aim of this study was to verify the effects of plastic mulch under two water depths on the productive characteristics of a commercial tomato field. The employed experimental design was the completely randomized in a 2 x 2 factorial. The sources of variation were two types of soil cover (with and without plastic mulch) and two water depths (164 mm and 188 mm) with nine replicates. Plant height and water use efficiency were not influenced by soil mulch or water depth variation. Soil with plastic mulch provided a lower mean fruit mass (108.32 g fruit-1), however, with a higher number of fruits per plant (70), which contributed to a higher commercial yield (58.42 t ha-1). The highest total yield (64.08 t ha-1) was obtained in the soil with plastic mulch under the water depth of 188 mm. The use of plastic mulch associated with a water depth of 188 mm provided an increase in tomato yield.

Objetivou-se nesse trabalho avaliar o efeito da frequência de aplicação de água e uso da irrigação por gotejamento subsuperficial na cultura do tomate de mesa em lavoura comercial. O experimento foi implantado em Ingaí (MG) utilizando um delineamento experimental inteiramente casualizado, em esquema fatorial 2x2 com duas técnicas de irrigação (gotejamento superficial e gotejamento subsuperficial) e duas frequências de irrigação (irrigação contínua e por pulsos) com seis repetições. A irrigação por pulsos consistiu na divisão da lâmina de irrigação diária, em seis vezes, com intervalos iguais de descanso e aplicação de água. Foram avaliados o potencial mátrico e variáveis de produção. Como resultado: O potencial mátrico do solo apresentou comportamento similar em função das profundidades 0,10; 0,30 e 0,50m. A produtividade comercial (20,78 kg.m-3), produção total (21 kg.m-3) a massa média de frutos (113 g) e o número médio de frutos por planta (26) não tiveram diferenças para uso da irrigação superficial, subsuperficial, contínua ou pulsos e suas interações. Não foram observadas diferenças estatísticas significativas em aplicar lâmina de irrigação de 151 de modo contínuo, em 6 pulsos por irrigação, superficial ou subsuperficial. O uso da irrigação contínua e a irrigação por pulsos não ocasionou diferenças estatísticas quantitativas para as variáveis de produção do tomate de mesa.

The effects of pulse drip, drip line position and soil mulch on water use efficiency in yields of zucchini cv. Clarinda were evaluated. The experiment was conducted in the experimental area of the Engineering Department of the Federal University of Lavras, Lavras, Minas Gerais State, Brazil, for two years. For the first year of the experiment, the experimental design was a randomized block design with a 2 x 2 x 2 factorial design (continuous and pulse drip irrigation, surface and subsurface dripping, with and without plastic mulch), with four replications. For the second year of the experiment, the design was completely randomized in a 2 x 2 x 2 factorial design with eight treatments and five replications. In relation to the position of the drip line, the subsurface drip line was installed at a 0.15-m depth, and the soil mulch was made with double-sided plastic (white/black). The results indicated that pulse drip irrigation did not affect the yield of zucchini and that soil mulch increased the yield and water use efficiency. In terms of the drip line position, the subsurface drip line increased the yield in the first year, but it had no effect on water use efficiency.