Com o objetivo de analisar o crescimento de plantas de tomate 'SM-16', cultivadas sob diferentes coberturas de solo conduziu-se um experimento na WG Fruticultura, Baraúna-RN entre julho e novembro de 2008. O delineamento experimental adotado foi o de blocos casualizados completos, com quatro repetições. Os tratamentos foram dispostos em parcelas subdivididas, sendo as parcelas representadas pelos tipos de cobertura de solo: solo descoberto, filme de polietileno preto, filme de polietileno prateado, filme de polietileno branco e polipropileno preto (TNT), e as sub-parcelas pelas épocas de amostragens das plantas: 14, 28, 42, 56, 70, 84 e 98 dias após o transplantio (DAT). Foram avaliados: acúmulo de massa seca nas folhas (AMSF), ramos (AMSR), inflorescências (AMSI), frutos (AMSFR) e total (AMST), índice de área foliar (IAF), razão de área foliar (RAF), área foliar específica (AFE), taxa de crescimento absoluto (TCA), taxa de crescimento relativo (TCR) e taxa assimilatória líquida (TAL). As coberturas de solo influenciaram o desenvolvimento do acúmulo de massa seca nas folhas, ramos e frutos, sendo o TNT a que promoveu as maiores médias. Os frutos se comportaram como dreno preferencial da planta. O TNT foi a cobertura de solo que promoveu as maiores médias para o índice de área foliar e as taxas de crescimento absoluto e relativo. A razão de área foliar, área foliar específica e taxa assimilatória líquida não foram influenciadas pelas coberturas de solo.

In order to evaluate the growth of tomato plants cv. SM-16, grown under different mulching, a trial was carried out at WG Fruticultura, Baraúna, Rio Grande do Norte state, Brazil, between July and November 2008. The experimental design was arranged in splitplots, under completely randomized blocks with four replications. Treatments (plots) were the mulching types: uncovered soil, black polyethylene film, silver polyethylene film, white polyethylene film and black polypropylene TNT, and the splitplots were sampling times: 14, 28, 42, 56, 70, 84 and 98 days after transplanting (DAT). Dry mass accumulation in leaves (AMSF), branches (AMSR), inflorescences (AMSI), fruits (AMSFR) and total (AMST), leaf area index (IAF), leaf area ratio (RAF), specific leaf area (AFE), absolute growth rate (TCA), relative growth rate (TCR) and net assimilation rate (TAL) were determined. The mulching influenced the development of dry matter accumulation in leaves, branches and fruits, and the TNT promoted the highest averages. The fruits behaved as the preferential drain of the plant. The TNT was the mulching that has promoted the highest average for the leaf area index and absolute and relative growth rates. The leaf area ratio, specific leaf area and net assimilation rate were not influenced by cover crops.