Effect of drip irrigation and mulches on physiological parameters, soil temperature, picking patterns and yield in capsicum (Capsicum annuum L.)

Water and temperature are critical for producing vegetable crops, especially during winter, when the availability of water is meager and temperature falls. Studies of drip irrigation and mulch were undertaken to find the effect on different growth and yield parameters in pepper (Capsicum annuum L.). The experiment was laid out in a split-plot design with four main and four subplots. Irrigation levels were placed on main plots and mulches on subplots with three replicates for each. All recorded vegetative parameters were higher with drip irrigation at 1.0 pan evaporation (Epan) and black polythene mulch. Physiological parameters such as photosynthesis rate (18.01 and 17.45 mu mol m(-2) s(-1)), transpiration rate (6.19 and 5.86 mmol H2O m(-2) s(-1)) and chlorophyll content (27.34 and 28.39; 39.22 and 41.27 SPAD, respectively at 50 and 100 days after planting) were maximal in crops with drip irrigation at 1.0 Epan and mulched with black polythene. Soil and canopy temperature were significantly higher on flood irrigation at 1.0 Epan. Soil temperature was higher with the black polythene mulch, but canopy temperature was higher with no mulch. A higher level of drip irrigation and black polythene mulch result in early picking with higher yields compared with flood irrigation and no mulch.