Growth and fruit panicle responses of shrub pepper (Piper nigrum L.) to bio-mulch

Abstract

Mulch, especially bio-mulch is important to prevent soil erosion, to increase soil organic and to contribute to nutrient supply. Research to know the growth and fruit panicle responses has been conducted in Cikabayan Station, Faculty of Agriculture, IPB University from December 2016 - August 2018. Two varieties of shrub pepper; Petaling 1 and Natar 2, have been planted ini three treatments of biomulch, namely without biomulch as control, with Arachis pintoi, and with mixed legume cover crop of Centrosema pubescens, Calopogonium mucunoides, and Pueraria japonica in six replications. The number of leaves, plant height, canopy diameter, number of fruits branch, and fruit panicle have been observation monthly, started at 16 months after planting and lasted at 20 months. It was a different response of Petaling 1 and Natar 2 to the treatments. Consistently, the highest of leaves number, plant height, canopy diameter and fruit panicle of Petaling 1 have resulted in Arachis pintoi, followed by control and legume cover crop. As the same as Petaling 1, to the Natar 2, Arachis pintoi resulted in the highest fruit panicle. For the other parameter of Petaling 1 the influence of bio-mulch was not consistent. For increasing productivity, Arachis pintoi is recommended as bio-mulch.