Abstract

QUEZADA-MARTIN, Ma. Rosario et al. Physiology and Yield of Bell Pepper Grown in Different Colored Plastic Mulch. Terra Latinoam [online]. 2011, vol.29, n.4, pp.421-430. ISSN 2395-8030.

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effect of seven plastic mulches of different colors on the yield and microenvironmental conditions and their influence on physiological parameters in bell pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) cv. Capistrano. The soil temperature was determined at 7.5 cm depth for each plastic, in the hour of highest temperature of day (16:00 h). The photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) reflected was measured at noon for each one of the plastic mulches. The yield, photosynthetic rate, stomatal resistance, net assimilation rate, and dry mass net accumulation were assessed. The results showed that the photosynthetic activity at the beginning of the crop increases from 40 to 150% in white and silver mulcheS these reached 150 to 290% up of reflection regarding brown, blue and clear mulches, wich were of the less reflective. However, soil temperature, as affected by the colored plastic mulches, had a higher impact on photosynthesis, net assimilation rate (TAN), and net dry mass accumulation, but were deletereos. Plastic mulches in which soil temperatures reached above 30 °C. The highest yield was observed in plants mulched with white or black plastics, overcoming 75 and 60% to the blue mulch and overcoming 190 and 166% the clear mulch too. The white and black plastic mulch were associated with the highest and lowest reflected PAR, respectively, but which soil temperature was the lowest and more uniform throughout the experiment. Photosynthesis was associated directly with yield and indirectly with stomatal resistance. Excessive heating of soil caused by several plastics, as than the clear one, had negative effect on the plant, it caused low relative growth rate, net assimilation rate and photosynthesis and caused low growth and yield.

Keywords : net assimilation rate; soil temperature; photosynthesis; reflected radiation; yield.

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