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.
