Table 2 Effect of different green manures on weed emergence and pepper performancea.

From: Spinach (Spinacia oleracea) as green manure modifies the soil nutrients and microbiota structure for enhanced pepper productivity

Treatment

Weed emergence (number/pot)

Plant height (cm)

Stem diameter (cm)

Chlorophyll contents (SPAD)

Canopy diameter (cm)

Primary branch length (cm)

Primary branch diameter (cm)

Fruit yield (g plant−1)

Monocot

Dicot

Total

Control

15.5 ± 1.4a

15.8 ± 2.6a

31.3 ± 4.9a

527 ± 26.7b

0.47 ± 0.02c

41 ± 0.8c

268 ± 23b

5.9 ± 1.1a

0.11 ± 0.02c

30.3 ± 4.0b

Spinach

1.5 ± 0.6c

2.8 ± 0.8c

4.6 ± 1.7c

711 ± 21.8a

0.58 ± 0.01a

52 ± 1.0a

418 ± 48a

8.2 ± 0.12a

0.25 ± 0.02a

78.5 ± 1.8a

Red mustard

7.2 ± 1.0b

10.9 ± 1.3ab

18.3 ± 0.8b

590 ± 1.7b

0.50 ± 0.02bc

44 ± 0.2bc

299 ± 4b

8.2 ± 0.03a

0.14 ± 0.01bc

39.4 ± 2.7b

Green mustard

3.3 ± 0.8c

8.7 ± 1.3b

12.1 ± 0.6bc

582 ± 35.8a

0.55 ± 0.01ab

45 ± 1.7b

290 ± 24b

8.3 ± 0.8a

0.19 ± 0.01b

38.9 ± 2.4b

  1. aWeed emergence was collected before pepper transplanting, pepper growth traits were determined at the end of the experiment while fruit yield represents three fruit pickings periods.
  2. Mean values followed by different letter (s) in a column represent significant differences at p ≤ 0.05, DMRT test.