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The in flu ence of sev eral types of plas tic mulches in en hancing earliness, maximizing production, and reducing insect infestation of strawberries grown in a tun nel green house in a mild Med i ter ra nean cli mate was eval u ated in two grow ing sea sons. In 1996-1997, yield of 'Oso Grande' dur ing the first three weeks of har vest was the high est on the black on white mulch (B/W), fol lowed by black (B) white (W), and clear (C). Total yield was comparable among all mulches. Mite in fes ta tion (mites being the main pest of straw ber ries in the re gion), and the heavi est weed growth occurred un der C, re sulting in weaker plants. In 1998-1999, yield of 'Camarosa' was con sis tently higher on re flec tive mulch (R) in comparison to C, B, and green (G). We ob served a high de gree of re sis tance to mite infestation in 'Camarosa', where mites ap peared only dur ing the last week of harvest. The R mulch had the low est count of mites, thrips, aphids and whiteflies at all sam pling dates. The high est counts of those pests were on C mulch. We rec om mend the R mulch, for its en hance ment of yield, reduced in sect and mite in fes ta tion, and weed con trol prop er ties in a mild winter-spring grow ing climate. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]