Effect of Plastic Mulch Color and Transplanting Stage on Baby Corn Plant Performance

Different colored plastic mulches have been developed and used in various crop production methods. The main goals of using colored plastic mulches are to modify the radiation budget and reduce soil water loss. In addition, it aids in controlling weed and insect infestation as well as soil temperature, water use effectiveness, plant development, yield, and quality. The growth and development of baby corn depend on several geographical and climatic conditions in its surrounding (air and soil). This study determined the effect of different colored plastic mulches on soil temperature and the performance of two baby corn varieties (Pan 14 and Thai Gold). Black plastic mulches showed significantly higher soil temperatures, followed by transparent films, yellow films, and non-mulched, respectively. However, there were no significant changes in soil temperatures over the 17 weeks for specific plastic mulches. Pan 14 produced a higher yield and displayed improved vegetative growth compared to Thai Gold under similar conditions. Transparent plastic mulches showed the best yield and vegetative growth for both varieties but could not effectively control weeds. Black plastic mulches produced significantly higher yield and vegetative performance than non-mulched but were lower than the transparent film performance. Additionally, black plastic mulches showed better performance on weed minimization. The combined results indicated that the effect of colored plastic mulches is highly significant on soil temperature, moisture, and water-holding capacity. While black plastics increase soil temperature, transparent and yellow decrease it.