Effect of mulching mode on growth and water use of greenhouse pepper during fruiting stage

The effects of different mulching treatments (e.g., plastic film mulching, wheat straw mulching, combined plastic film and wheat straw mulching and no mulching) on the growth and water use of greenhouse pepper during fruiting stage were studied in order to establish an optimum mulching mode for greenhouse pepper production. The results showed that soil temperature increasing extent under combined plastic film and wheat straw mulching treatment was higher than that under straw mulching treatment at the early fruiting stage. At the middle and late fruiting stage, soil temperature decreasing extent was lower under combined plastic film and wheat straw mulching treatment than that under plastic film mulching treatment. Mulching significantly promoted greenhouse pepper growth, and increased leaf chlorophyll content, gross and plant-part dry weight, and fruit yield. Mulching also reduced water consumption. Combined plastic film and wheat straw mulching had the strongest effect on growth and water use characteristics of greenhouse pepper. Greenhouse pepper water use efficiency under plastic film mulching, wheat straw mulching, and combined plastic film and wheat straw mulching treatments were 2.09, 1.67 and 2.17 times of that under no mulching treatment, respectively. Based on the results, it was concluded that combined plastic film and wheat straw mulching was the best mulching mode for greenhouse pepper production in terms of plant dry weight, yield and water use efficiency.