IN ORDER TO INVESTIGATION OF COMPETITION EFFECT ON TOMATO LEAF AREA INDEX, AN EXPERIMENT WAS CONDUCTED DURING 2005 GROWING SEASON.TREATMENTS INCLUDED WEED FREE AND WEED INTERFERENCE PERIOD UP TO 14, 28, 42, 70, 84 DAYS AFTER SEEDLING TRANSFER AND TO THE END OF GROWTH SEASON (WEED FREE AND WEEDY CHECK).THE EXPERIMENT WAS LAID OUT IN A COMPLETE RANDOMIZE BLOCK DESIGN, WITH THREE REPLICATIONS. COMPETITION OF WEEDS FOR LIGHT CAUSED SEVERAL IMPACTS ON PHYSIOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF TOMATO, LEAF AREA INDEX.