Influence of soil mulching and plant shading on growth, yield, fruit quality and storageability of sweet pepper [electronic resource].

Includes references.

A series of experiments were carried out at Kaha vegetable Experimental station and postharvest laboratory during 2001 and 2002 seasons on pepper cv. Gedeon FI hybrid to study the effect of soil mulching and plant shading on growth, yield and fruit characteristics at harvest and during cold storage. Different types of packaging were examined to find out their effects on fruit quality during storage and retail display conditions. The results were summarized as follows: 1- Effect of soil mulching and shading on vegetative growth, fruit quality and yield of sweet pepper. The applications of shading and bare soil in addition to the interaction between them were the best treatments for plant growth (Plant height, number of leaves and leaf area). On the other hand, neither soils mulch nor its combination with shading had an effect on plant dry matter, flesh thickness and fruit length. Fruit weight and diameter were increased using soil mulching compare to bare soil but produced lower total yield (Kgl plant). Moreover, shading treatment increased significantly fruit diameter, weight and total yield. Respecting interaction affect (Shading treatment and bare soil) was the best treatment for fruit diameter, weight and total yield. 2- Effect of soil mulching and shading on physical and chemical characteristics of pepper fruit during cold storage. As the storage-period was prolonged, the weight loss was increased and when pepper fruits stored for 14- days at 8 e no--further loss of quality was observed. However losses were occurred when the storage period was extended to 28 days. Significant decrease in T.S.S., ascorbic acid and total chlorophyll content with the elapse of the storage period. T2 (shading, plus bare soil) and T4 (un-shaded plastic plus bare soil) (control) had the lowest value of weight loss percentage in the second season during the storage period and these two treatments had higher visual quality than did the other treatment in both seasons. (T2) and (T4) gained slightly higher T.S.S. content in the first season, as compared to (T1) shading, soil mulching or (T3) without shading soil mulching but there were no significant differences between treatments in the second season. No significant differences were found between treatments as for their effect on the ascorbic acid content in both seasons. (T 2) and (T 4) retained higher total chlorophyll content over the other two used treatments. 3- Packaging materials and their effect on sweet pepper fruit during storage and retail display condition.

Summary in Arabic.

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