The dry mass and nutrients accumulation by tomato 'SM-16' cultivated in different mulching was carried out on an experiment in WG Fruticultura, Baraúna, Rio Grande do Norte state, Brazil, from September 2009 to January 2010. The treatments consisted of 1) uncovered soil, 2) black polyethylene film, 3) white polyethylene film, 4) gray polyethylene film and 5) black polypropylene (TNT). Treatments were arranged in split plots with the plots represented by mulching and split plots by the time of sampling the plants: 14, 28, 42, 56, 70, 84, 98 and 112 days after transplanting. The experimental design utilized was a randomized complete block with four replications. Mulching did not affect the dry mass accumulation of the plants. The fruits behaved as preferential sink of the plant, reaching the end of the cycle with 48.6% of the total accumulated dry mass. Only N, Ca and Mg accumulation in the fruits and K accumulation in the leaves were influenced by mulching. Using white polyethylene resulted in the highest averages, respectively in the accumulation of 137.73 and 8.84 kg/ha of N and Mg on fruits. Using TNT resulted in the accumulation of 4.02 and 134.23 kg/ha of Ca and K on fruits and leaves, respectively. The nutrients accumulation in the plants in decreasing order were K>N>Ca>Mg>P; N, P and K being found in higher quantities in fruits, and Ca and Mg in leaves.
Lycopersicon esculentum; mulching; phytomass; absorption march of macronutrients
