Response of Hot Pepper <i>(</i><i>Capsicum annum</i><i> L.) </i>Varieties to Organic Mulching Materials at Guto Gida, East Wollega, Ethiopia

The study was carried out in 2021/22 under irrigation with the objectives of investigating the response of hot pepper (Capsicum annum L.) varieties to organic mulching materials. The treatment consisted of three pepper varieties (Oda haro, Bako local and Mareko fana) and five levels of organic mulching materials (Control, Maize straw, Soybean straw, Sesame straw, and Cattle manure) and combined factorially and laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications. The results of analysis of variance indicated that the effects of varieties and organic mulching materials were significant (P<0.05) for all parameters. All agronomic traits except days to 50% flowering, number of seeds per fruit and fruit dry weight were significantly affected by the combined effect of organic mulching materials and hot pepper varieties. Mareko fana variety with Cattle manure resulted the highest Marketable yield (1561.1kg/ha). In general, application of cattle manure for pepper varieties, especially Marekofana improved vegetative growth and marketable yield. Thus, hot pepper growers in the study area can use Cattle manure as mulching material that would improve productivity of the crop. However, to give more conclusive recommendation, this experiment should be repeated over locations and cropping seasons by increasing the number of hot pepper varieties.