To evaluate the effect of the no-tillage and conventional systems, weed management strategies on soil temperature variation, and yield of sweet pepper, a field experiment was arranged in a randomized block split-plot design with four replications. Tillage systems (no-tillage and conventional) were evaluated in the plots, and three weed management strategies in the split-plots (soil cover with black polyethylene film, with weeding, and without weeding). At 60 and 147 days after transplanting (DAT), density and dry mass of the weeds were assessed in the treatments without weeding. In each split-plot, thermocouple type sensors were installed at 5 cm depth to measure soil temperature. Based on the data obtained, temperature variation along the day was determined from 20 to 30 days after planting the sweet pepper seedlings, while the mean maximum and minimum temperatures and temperature range were evaluated every five days. The treatments with polyethylene film and clean weeding under the conventional tillage system showed an increase in maximum daily soil temperature at 6.7 and 5.0 ºC, respectively, compared to no-tillage and weeding. The temperature range was 11 ºC in the treatments using polyethylene film and clean weeding under the conventional system, 6.3 ºC under no-tillage with weeding, 4.5 ºC in the treatments without weeding, and 4.0 ºC under no-tillage with polyethylene film. The no-tillage system proved to be a good technique for the cultivation of sweet peppers under high temperature conditions. Weed interference in the treatments without weeding resulted in a reduction of 94.95% and 92.10% of marketable yield under no-tillage and conventional systems, respectively
Capsicum annuum; soil temperature; polyethylene film; mulch; no-tillage
