Abstract:
A study was carried out to access the effect of different border crops and fertilizer regime on
capsicum plant growth and yield at the Agricultural Research Station, Thirunelvely, in 2009. The
experiment was carried in a split plot design with four replicates, consisting of 12 treatment
combinations, four different border crops (maize, chrysanthemum, sunflower, finger millet) and three
different fertilizer levels (recommended level of inorganic fertilizer with organic fertilizer, ½
recommended level of inorganic fertilizer with organic fertilizer, and only organic fertilizer).
Capsicum was planted at recommended spacing. Other management practices were performed as per
recommendation of the Department of Agriculture. Growth and yield parameters were recorded and
analyzed at α = 0.05 using SAS statistical package.
The results revealed that there were no significant differences among growth parameters in the border
crop until 4th week after transplanting and thereafter significant differences were observed among
growth parameters.
Growth parameters significantly differed among the fertilizer treatments. Highest yield was recorded
in maize bordered crops at recommended level of inorganic fertilizer with organic fertilizer and the
lowest yield was recorded in finger millet bordered crops with organic fertilizer only. However, yield
is not significantly different among recommended level of organic fertilizer and half recommended
level of organic fertilizer. Lowest level of leaf curl complex incidence was observed under the finger
millet bordered crops and the lowest level was observed in maize bordered crops. It can be concluded
that capsicum can be cultivated with less incidence of leaf curl with half recommended inorganic
fertilizer and maize as a border crop
