Effects of Shading and Plant Spacing on Seed Yield and Quality of ‘California Wonder’ Pepper under High Temperature Condition

Abstract

The increase in temperatures currently are affecting quantity and quality of sweet pepper seed production. Therefore, this research was to study the effects of shading and plant spacing on seed yield and quality of ‘California Wonder’ sweet pepper under high temperature condition. Split plot in Randomized Complete Block Design was used with 4 replications. Main plot was shading followed as non-shading, 30% shading and 50% shading. Sub plot was plant spacing involving: 50 × 75 cm and 50 × 100 cm. Plants were grown in 10 inch plastic pots and were harvested the seeds at 80% red mature fruit. The results showed that 50% shading had the highest yield involving: fruit number, fruit size, fruit weight and seed number per fruit and that had also the highest seed quality, which had the highest 1,000 seeds weight, high speed of germination (shortest the days to emergence and mean germination time), the highest seed germination in both of laboratory and greenhouse. Moreover, the plant spacing had no effect on yield and seed quality of sweet pepper.