Abstract
Plastic mulches are widely used for the production of vegetables. There are numerous studies on the use of plastic mulches for peppers, although relatively few have focused on the microenvironmental and physiological impacts of plastic mulches on bell pepper. The objectives were to determine the effects of plastic film mulches on root zone temperature (RZT), soil water status, incidence of thrips and Tomato spotted wilt (TSW), plant growth, gas exchange, accumulation of mineral nutrients, and fruit yield in bell pepper. The study was conducted in Tifton, GA, in the Fall of 2002 and the Spring of 2003 using eight colored plastic mulches. Plastic mulch color influenced the microenvironmental, physiological, and yield responses of bell pepper plants. Plastic film mulches differed in their soil-warming ability with RZTs in both spring and fall being highest in black mulches and lowest in silver mulches. The percentage of photosynthetically active radiation ( PAR ) reflected from the mulches was highest in silver mulches and lowest in black mulches. The mean RZT under the plastic mulch decreased with increasing percentages of reflected PAR . The number of thrips per flower and the incidence of TSW in mature plants were not significantly different among plastic mulch treatments. The number of thrips per flower had no relationship with the percentage of reflected PAR or with RZT. Plastic mulch treatments had no significant effect on soil water status. Neither soil water content nor soil water potential had a relationship with RZT. In the fall season, during the first 28 days after transplanting, plant growth attributes were among the highest in silver mulches and the lowest in black mulches. Gas exchange and accumulation of mineral nutrients in the leaves and the fruit were not significantly affected by plastic mulches. Both marketable and total yields were higher on silver mulches and lowest on black mulch in the fall, whereas they were in general higher on silver with a black strip mulch and lowest on white and silver1 mulches in the spring. The reduced plant growth and fruit yields in black mulches during the fall were probably the result of the increased RZTs, and thus higher heat accumulation, that resulted in higher plant heat stress conditions compared with silver and white mulches. Fruit yield decreased with mean seasonal RZTs above 27.5 °C. The optimal range of RZT for bell pepper fruit yield was computed to be 25 to 27.5 °C or less.
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Claims 16
Claim · model-written summary
Root zone temperature was highest under black mulch and lowest under silver mulch.
Verbatim
e0“RZTs in both spring and fall being highest in black mulches and lowest in silver mulches”
t0“Bell Pepper”
Claim · model-written summary
Reflected PAR was highest for silver mulch and lowest for black mulch.
Verbatim
e0“The percentage of photosynthetically active radiation ( PAR ) reflected from the mulches was highest in silver mulches and lowest in black mulches.”
t0“Bell Pepper”
Claim · model-written summary
Mean root zone temperature declined as reflected PAR increased.
Verbatim
e0“The mean RZT under the plastic mulch decreased with increasing percentages of reflected PAR”
t0“Bell Pepper”
Claim · model-written summary
Thrips per flower did not differ significantly by mulch.
- Taxon
- Bell Peppert0
- Treatment
- plastic mulch treatmentse0
- Outcome
- number of thrips per flowere0
- Direction
- not significantly differente0
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“The number of thrips per flower and the incidence of TSW in mature plants were not significantly different among plastic mulch treatments.”
t0“Bell Pepper”
Claim · model-written summary
TSW incidence did not differ significantly by mulch.
- Taxon
- Bell Peppert0
- Treatment
- plastic mulch treatmentse0
- Outcome
- incidence of TSWe0
- Direction
- not significantly differente0
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“The number of thrips per flower and the incidence of TSW in mature plants were not significantly different among plastic mulch treatments.”
t0“Bell Pepper”
Claim · model-written summary
Thrips per flower had no relationship to reflected PAR or RZT.
Verbatim
e0“The number of thrips per flower had no relationship with the percentage of reflected PAR or with RZT.”
t0“Bell Pepper”
Claim · model-written summary
Mulch had no significant effect on soil water status.
- Taxon
- Bell Peppert0
- Treatment
- Plastic mulch treatmentse0
- Outcome
- soil water statuse0
- Direction
- no significant effecte0
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“Plastic mulch treatments had no significant effect on soil water status.”
t0“Bell Pepper”
Claim · model-written summary
Soil water content and potential were unrelated to RZT.
Verbatim
e0“Neither soil water content nor soil water potential had a relationship with RZT.”
t0“Bell Pepper”
Claim · model-written summary
Early fall growth was highest under silver and lowest under black mulch.
Verbatim
e0“plant growth attributes were among the highest in silver mulches and the lowest in black mulches”
t0“Bell Pepper”
Claim · model-written summary
Gas exchange was not significantly affected by mulch.
- Taxon
- Bell Peppert0
- Treatment
- plastic mulchese0
- Outcome
- Gas exchangee0
- Direction
- not significantly affectede0
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“Gas exchange and accumulation of mineral nutrients in the leaves and the fruit were not significantly affected by plastic mulches.”
t0“Bell Pepper”
Claim · model-written summary
Mineral nutrient accumulation was not significantly affected by mulch.
- Taxon
- Bell Peppert0
- Treatment
- plastic mulchese0
- Outcome
- accumulation of mineral nutrientse0
- Direction
- not significantly affectede0
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“Gas exchange and accumulation of mineral nutrients in the leaves and the fruit were not significantly affected by plastic mulches.”
t0“Bell Pepper”
Claim · model-written summary
Fall yields were highest on silver and lowest on black mulch.
Verbatim
e0“Both marketable and total yields were higher on silver mulches and lowest on black mulch in the fall”
t0“Bell Pepper”
Claim · model-written summary
Spring yields were generally highest on silver with black strip and lowest on white and silver1 mulch.
Verbatim
e0“they were in general higher on silver with a black strip mulch and lowest on white and silver1 mulches in the spring”
t0“Bell Pepper”
Claim · model-written summary
Heat accumulation under black mulch probably reduced fall growth and yield.
Verbatim
e0“The reduced plant growth and fruit yields in black mulches during the fall were probably the result of the increased RZTs”
t0“Bell Pepper”
Claim · model-written summary
Fruit yield decreased above 27.5 °C mean seasonal RZT.
Verbatim
e0“Fruit yield decreased with mean seasonal RZTs above 27.5 °C.”
t0“Bell Pepper”
Claim · model-written summary
Computed optimal RZT for fruit yield was 25 to 27.5 °C or less.
Verbatim
e0“The optimal range of RZT for bell pepper fruit yield was computed to be 25 to 27.5 °C or less.”
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