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Title: TILLAGE AND MULCH EFFECTS ON YIELD OF BELL PEPPER (CAPISCUM ANNUM L.)

Author
item MORSE, RONALD - VA POLYTECH INST/VSU
item Abdul Baki, Aref

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/3/1998
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: In 1997, three tillage/mulch pepper production systems were compared on raised beds at the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center (BARC), MD, and at Kentland Agricultural Research Farm (KARF), Blacksburg, VA. The tillage/mulch treatments were no-till hairy plastic mulch on beds that were conventionally tilled and reformed before transplanting the peppers (CT-BP), and untilled bare soil (NT-BS). Camelot' bell peppers were planted in early June of 1997 in double rows at both sites. Both the CT-BP and NT-BS treatments received approximately double the nitrogen fertilizer, compared to NT-HV. Nitrogen was applied throughout the growing season at BARC, while all the N fertilizer was applied during the first three weeks of plant growth at KARF. Nine weekly harvests were made at BARC and six at KARF. Fruit yield was high in all treatments at both sites. There were no significant differences among treatments in marketable yield or fruit weight at BARC. In contrast, yield was significantly higher with CT-BP than with NT-HV and NT-BS at KARF. Higher yield with CT-BP at KARF possibly occurred from enhanced soil temperature and reduced N leaching normally associated with black plastic mulch production systems.