Effect Of Organic And Synthetic Mulch (Reflective And Non Reflective) On Yield Of Scotch Bonnet Hot Pepper

Field studies were conducted at the Famu research farm at Quincy, Florida, during the 1999 and 2000 growing seasons to examine the effect of organic and synthetic mulches on the yield potential of Scotch Bonnet hot peppers Capsicum chinense. For the 1999 study, only 2 mulches, one organic (Bahia grass) and one synthetic (black plastic) and a control (bare ground) were used. The 2000 study extended the synthetic mulches to white plastic and silver plastic (both reflective) and the organic mulches to perennial peanut and mushroom compost. For both years, the experimental design was a Randomized Complete Block Design with 3 replications. A drip irrigation system was installed to supply the moisture requirements of the crop. Weekly harvests were conducted to obtain data on yield parameters such as fruit size, fruits plant"1 and marketable fruits ha"1. For the first year of the study, fruits from plots mulched with Bahia grass, were significantly larger (P < 0.05) than fruits from plots mulched with black and white plastic. However, none of the plots showed any significant differences in fruits plant"' and marketable fruits ha"1. In the second year of the study, With the exception of plots mulched with bahia grass, yield from plots mulched with organic mulches were significantly higher, Ρ < 0.05 than plots mulched with black and white synthetic mulches and the control plots. However, marketable fruit yield from plots mulched with silver plastic was not statistically different (P < 0.05) to yield from organic mulch plots. Highest yield (2629 kg ha"1) was obtained from plots mulched with mushroom compost. These plots also produced significantly higher yield ha"1 and fruits plant"1 compared to all plots with the exception of those mulched with perennial peanut and silver plastic. Plots mulched with black plastic produced significantly smaller fruits compared to all other plots.