Comparison of the effectiveness of different weed control methods in field cultivated pepper (Capsicum annum L.)Porównanie efektywności różnych metod ochrony przed chwastami papryki (Capsicum annum L.) w uprawie polowej

Abstract

Summary The studies conducted in 2010–2011 at The Research Institute of Horticulture in Skierniewice were aimed at comparing the effectiveness of different weed management methods in outdoor grown pepper. The following methods were compared: application of herbicide, a combination of herbicide with mechanical treatment, mechanical treatments, the usage of mulches (polypropylene, woven and biodegradable films) and hand weeding. Weed control effect, the number and biomass of weeds, secondary weed infestation, plant height and the yield of pepper were determined during the experiments. The ecophysiological indexes such as relative variable chlorophyll fluorescence and chlorophyll content in the leaves were also calculated. The best results of weed controlling were achieved in pepper weeded by hand and grown in the soil mulched with polypropylene and woven films. The highest yield of fruits was obtained from pepper weeded by hand, treated with herbicide and mulched with woven foil, while the lowest yield was obtained from plants mulched with biodegradable foil. At the beginning of growing season the chlorophyll content in the leaves was not changed in pepper treated with herbicide and hand weeded but its decrease was recorded in pepper grown in mulches. The relative variable chlorophyll fluorescence was the highest in hand weeded pepper at the whole growing season.