WEED MANAGEMENT PRACTICES AND ORGANIC/INORGANIC FERTILIZER TYPES EFFECTS ON BELL PEPPER (CAPSICUM ANNUM L.) PLANT GROWTH AND FRUIT YIELD

The organic and inorganic weed management practices and fertilizer types’ effect on Bell pepper (Capsicum annum L.) plant growth and yield were evaluated in the field. The experiment was conducted at the Department of Crop Science, University of Nigeria, Nsukka research farm. The experimental design had two factors, A and B, which were in a 3 x 5 factorial layout using a randomized complete block design (RCBD). Factor A was weed management practices comprising black polyethylene mulch (BM), weedy (WD), and manual weeding (WF). Factor B was fertilizer types comprising of cow dung (CD) at 20t/ha; pig dung (PD) at 20t/ha; poultry dung/manure (PM) at 20t/ha, Inorganic fertilizer NPK (15:15:15) at 150kg/ha, and control (O). The seeds were raised in a nursery bed and transplanted monthly to a field with already prepared beds. The seedlings were transplanted in 45 plots measuring 2.25 square meters with 40 cm by 40 cm spacing. Data were collected on 4 sample plants per plot at 2, 4, and 6 weeks after transplanting WAT). Plant growth and yield data and the population count of identified weeds in each plot were collected at 2, 4, and 6 weeks after transplanting (WAT). The study showed that weed management practices had a more significant effect on the plant growth and fruit yield, with the weed-free plot given the highest. The fertilizer types had no significant effect on the plant growth. However, the black polyethylene mulched plots had the least number of weed populations. In conclusion, the weed-free plot with inorganic NPK fertilizer that yielded higher fruit is thus recommended. Keywords: Bell pepper, fertility, plant growth, fruit yield