GROWTH ANALYSIS OF MUSKMELON AND BELL PEPPER WITH MULCH AND ROWCOVER

Abstract

The present study was conducted to determine the effect of soil mulch alone or combined with rowcovers (spunbounded poypropylene, Agribon 17) on the growth and early and total yield of bell pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) and muskmelon (Cucumis melo L.). In Saltillo, Coahuila, México during 1996 for each species five treatments were evaluated in a randomized complete block design with four replications:1) no mulch and no rowcover, Control; 2) black plastic mulch alone (BPM); 3) BPM plus rowcover during 10 days after sowing (das) in muskmelon and 20 days after trasplanting (dat) in bell pepper; 4) BPM plus rowcover during 20 das in muskmelon and 30 dat in bell pepper; 5) BPM plus rowcover during 32 das in muskmelon and 40 dat in bell pepper. Plants under soil mulching plus rowcover in muskmelon presented generally higher values of leaf area (LA), dry weight (DW), specific leaf area (SLA), leaf area ratio (LAR), relative growth rate (RGR), and net assimilation rate (NAR) as compared to the control. Early yield of muskmelon plants under soil mulch plus rowcover was increased by 45 t ha^-1 compared to the control (13 t ha^-1 ); total yield was increased by 34.0 t ha^-1. Under the conditions of this experiment, it is not recommended to use soil mulch plus rowcover in bell pepper because plant growth and yield may be affected by the excesive heat conditions under the row cover.