Effect of municipal solid waste compost on weed control, yield and some quality indices of green pepper (Capsicum annuum L.)

Gh. Peyvast, M. Sedghi Moghaddam and J.A. Olfati

Department of Horticulture, uilan University, Rasht, (Iran)

ABSTRACT: Application of Municipal Solid Waste Compost (MSWC) to soils could help to solve municipalities’ problems. To investigate the effect of MSWC on weed control, yield parameters and some quality indices of green pepper, an experiment was conducted with 0, 100, 150 and 200 t. ha-1 MSWC in 2007 at the research station of the Guilan University, Rasht, Iran. Results showed that with increasing the MSWC to 150 t.ha-1, plant length, branch and flower numbers, plant total fresh and dry weight, vitamin C content, chlorophyll a, b and total leaf chlorophyll of green pepper can increase significantly. Higher levels of MSWC (150 and 200 t. ha-1) didn’t showed any significant differences on the above mentioned characteristics. However, high an increasing of 150 up to 200 t. ha-1 MSWC could affect the yield, fruit and leaf numbers, fruits chlorophyll a, b and total chlorophyll content. Application of MSWC higher than 150 t. ha-1 could decrease significantly the numbers of several weeds such as Amaranthus spp., Convulvulus spp., Bromus spp., Cinidon spp. Plantago spp., and Digitaria spp. Further increasing of MSWC up to 200 t. ha-1 could not affect the number of Bromus spp., Cinidon spp., Plantago spp., and Digitaria spp. Our results showed also that fresh and dry weight, Zn and Cu content of pepper could increase with increasing of MSWC without any significantly differences.

KEYWORDS: Municipal Solid Waste compost; Capsicum annuum L.; yield; weed control; quality indices

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