Wild Sunflower as Green Manure for Sweet Pepper Production under Open Field (Capsicum annuum)

Abstract

The field study was conducted at the Certified Organic Demo Farm of Benguet State University, Balili, La Trinidad, Benguet from November 2014 to April 2015 under open field to determine the effects of wild sunflower as green manure on the growth and yield of sweet pepper; to determine the effects of wild sunflower as green manure on some physical and chemical properties of the soil; and to determine the Return on Cash Expense of using wild sunflower as green manure for sweet pepper production. The experiment was conducted using the wild sunflower as green manure application following the RCBD lay-out with three replications. The treatments were: T1 = control, T2 = 10 tons/ha wild sunflower, T3 = 20 tons/ha wild sunflower, T4 = 30 tons/ha wild sunflower and T5 = 40 tons/ha wild sunflower. Application of different treatments of wild sunflower significantly affected the final height, diameter of fruit, marketable yield, and total yield of sweet pepper. Application of 30 tons ha-1 wild sunflower produced the biggest and highest yield of sweet pepper. The Return on Cash Expense was highest with the application of 30 tons ha-1 wild sunflower.