Black Polyethylene Mulch Results in Over Two-Fold Increase in Capsicum (Capsicum annuum L.) Yield in Trans-Himalaya

• Published in: National Academy science letters 2018-06, Vol.41 (3), p.173-176
• Main Authors: Angmo, Stanzin, Dolkar, Diskit, Norbu, Tsewang, Kumar, Bhuvnesh, Stobdan, Tsering
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agricultural production; Capsicum annuum; Crop yield; Crops; Cultivation; Fruits; Fungicides; History of Science; Humanities and Social Sciences; Insects; multidisciplinary; Peppers; Pesticide application; Pesticides; Polyethylene; Polyethylenes; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Short Communication
• ISSN: 0250-541X; 2250-1754
• DOI: 10.1007/s40009-018-0637-y

The influence of black polyethylene mulch (BPM) on growth and yield of capsicum, a warm season crop, was investigated under a low-input cultivation system in trans-Himalayan Ladakh at an elevation of 3344 m. The mean marketable yield in different treatments varied from 0.6 ± 0.0 to 9.2 ± 0.5 and 0.3 ± 0.1 to 5.2 ± 1.5 t ha −1 in 2014 and 2015, respectively. BPM increased marketable yield by 1.3- to 9.0-fold depending on year and crop variety. The mean marketable yield of four varieties under BPM increased by 2.8- and 2.9-fold in 2014 and 2015, respectively. The best performing variety (California Wonder) under BPM yielded 7.2 t ha −1 marketable fruit, which suggested that capsicum can be grown in open field condition in trans-Himalayan regions. Temperature 10 cm beneath the BPM was 3.1 ± 0.3 ºC higher than in nonmulched soil. BPM reduced 68% weed and save 75% time in manual weeding. Incidence of insect-pest and diseases was minimal, and rotten fruit was less than 1% of marketable yield without application of pesticide or fungicide.