Effect Of Organic Mulch On Growth And Yield Of Sweet Pepper

                                                    ABSTRACT
The high cost and increasing disposal problems associated with polyethylene mulch and greater availability of organic mulches prompted an investigation into the effects of organic mulches on growth and yield of sweet pepper at the University of Ghana Forest
and Horticultural Crops Research Centre, Okumaning near Kade. Two field experiments were conducted in the raining season, that is from July, 2012 to December, 2012 and in the dry season from December, 2012 to March, 2013. In both experiments four treatments; dry rice husks (RH), empty palm fruit bunches (EPFB) and cocoa pods husks (CPH) as mulches at the rate of 35t/ha each and a control (bare soil) were evaluated in a randomized complete block design with four replications. The results indicated that organic mulch application in both rainy and dry seasons significantly influenced soil temperature and suppressed weed growth.  Soil moisture content was not significantly influenced by the mulch materials in the rainy season. However, in the dry season soils under mulched plots retained significant amount of soil moisture compared to soils under no mulch treatment. Organic mulch application in the rainy season did not significantly increase plant height, stem diameter, number of branches, number of leaves, leaf area as well as leaf area index of sweet pepper compared to the control. However, the application of organic mulch compared to the control resulted in increased plant height, canopy size and stem diameter in the dry season. Although weight of fruits per plant, mean fruit weight per plant, total fruit yield, fruit length and fruit width were not significantly increased by the application of organic mulch materials in the rainy season, mulching significantly influenced yield and yield components of sweet pepper in the dry season. Application of rice husk mulch was the most effective treatment in increasing the weight of fruits per plant, total fruit yield and mean fruit weight per plant.