The Effect of Ornamental Grasses Used as a Windscreen on Chili Pepper Yield

Abstract

Chili pepper yield may be hampered by wind-blown sand and high evaporative demand common in semiarid regions. Initial establishment of the crop is of great importance to overall yield. Due to their reduced size, ornamental grasses could serve as windscreens in urban gardens. In this project, seven species of ornamental grasses (Cortaderia selloana `Pumila', Erianthus ravennae, Miscanthus sinensis `Autumn Light', Miscanthus sinensis `Gracillimus', Miscanthus sinensis `Silberfeder', Miscanthus sinensis `Variegatus', Miscanthus sinensis `Zebrinus', and Pennisetum setaceum `Rubrum') were used as aesthetic windscreens. Capsicum annuum `NuMex Big Jim' chili pepper yield was significantly affected by species of grass in the windscreen. The number of peppers per plant was also significantly affected by species; however, the weight of each pepper was not significantly impacted. Effect of species of ornamental grass in the windscreen may be due to differences in wind resistance, moisture competition, or shading between species. The durability, increase in yield, and aesthetic nature of the ornamental grasses used as windscreens provides several reasons to take advantage of these perennial grasses for an aesthetic form of garden protection.