Bell pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) grown on raised bed, plastic mulch and sprayed with NAA @ 15 ppm: Effects on crop growth, yield, soil moisture and temperature

A field study was conducted in Himachal Pradesh during the year 2017-18 with twelve treatments in order to evaluate the effect of planting methods, mulches and NAA application on growth and yield components of bell pepper (Capsicum annuum L.). Results showed that all the treatments significantly influenced the yield and yield contributing traits. Maximum plant height (73.66 cm), minimum days to 50 per cent flowering (27.25), maximum fruit length (7.35 cm), fruit breadth (6.39 cm), fruit weight (51.26 g), number of fruits per plant (25.10), yield per plot (53.90 kg) and yield per hectare (380.25 q) was recorded in T3 (Raised bed + silver polythene mulch + NAA application @ 15 ppm 30 and 45 day after planting). Maximum soil moisture and temperature was recorded in plots which were covered with silver and black polythene mulches. Similar plots also produced maximum yield.