Bed Height and Intrarow Spacing on Pepper Growth and Fruit Yield

• Published in: International journal of vegetable science 2016-11, Vol.22 (6), p.555-563
• Main Authors: Salau, A. W., Makinde, E. A., Olubode, O. O.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Capsicum frutescens; plant density; soil volume
• ISSN: 1931-5260; 1931-5279
• DOI: 10.1080/19315260.2015.1089527

Cultural practices can affect growth and yield of hot pepper (Capsicum frutescens L). Experiments were carried out in 2009 and 2010 to investigate growth and fruit yield of hot pepper as affected by bed height and intrarow spacing. Six-week-old transplants were established at an 80-cm interrow spacing with intrarow spacings of 20, 30, or 40 cm and bed heights of 20, 30, and 40 cm. Intrarow spacing did not affect growth and yield. Relative to 30- and 20-cm-high beds, planting on 40-cm-high beds increased number of leaves/plant by 70% and 48%, number of fruits/plant by 58% and 86%, and fruit yield·per hectare by 64% and 97%, respectively. At the 40-cm intrarow spacing, on 40-cm-high beds, fruit weight/plant was higher by 196% and 138% relative to 20- and 30-cm-high beds, respectively. Plant height, number of leaves/plant, and leaf area index (LAI) contributed 79%, 75%, and 84%, respectively, to fruit yield; number of fruits/plant and fruit weight/plant contributed 89% and 92%, respectively, to fruit yield. Planting pepper at 40-cm intrarow spacing with 40-cm bed height is recommended to optimize production space and increase yield.