Effects of mulching on weed growth and cucumber yield

Abstract

Cucumber responses to mulching vary by season, region, and mulching material. A field experiment, arranged in a randomized complete block design with four replicates, was established to assess the effect of organic mulches on weed growth and cucumber yield. Treatments consisted of no mulch, palm oil leaf litter mulch, rice husk litter mulch, blady grass litter mulch, coffee husk litter mulch, and black-silvered plastic mulch. Treatment effects were evaluated in terms of the dry weight of weeds (broad and narrow leaf) and yield of cucumber (fruit diameter, fruit length, fruit number plant^-1, fruit weight, total fruit weight plot^-1and weight of marketable fruits plant^-1). Results indicated that the use of mulches effectively reduced weed growth, increased growth, and yield of cucumbers. The effectiveness of black-silvered plastic, coffee husk litter, rice husk litter, palm oil leaf litter, blady grass litter mulches to control weeds were 98, 68, 58, 56, and 54 %, respectively. Cucumbers grown with mulch increased fruit diameter, fruit weight, number of fruit plant^-1, weight of marketable fruits, and total fruit weight plot^-1 that were 7, 91, 25, 78, 134, and 78 % higher than those grown without mulch, respectively. These findings provids a valuable technique for cucumber growers in the low altitude of equatorial areas.