A field experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of different levels of drip irrigation
and
planting methods on yield and yield components (number of fruits per plant, number of primary and
secondary branches per plant, and plant height) of green pepper (Capsicum annuum, L.) in Bako,
Ethiopia. Three irrigation levels (50, 75 and 100% of ETc) and two planting methods (normal
and paired-row planting) were applied. The experiment was laid out in a split plot design, with
irrigation levels as main plots and planting methods as sub-plots, in three replications. It was
found that the effects of both treatments on yield, number of fruits per plant and plant height
of green pepper were highly significant (p < 0.01) whereas the number of primary and secondary
branches per plant was affected significantly (p < 0.05). The maximum and minimum values of the
yield and yield components were recorded from treatment plots I100P (full irrigation level with
paired-row planting method) and I50P (50% of ETc irrigation level with paired-row planting
method), respectively, with the exception of plant height. However, the average plant height (cm)
recorded from the I100N treatment plot was not significantly different from the I100P treatment
plot. Moreover, it was found that the effect of treatment interactions on both yield and yield
components of green pepper was found to be highly significant (p < 0.01). A 50% reduction in
irrigation level caused a reduction in yield of about 48.3 and 74.4% under the normal and
paired-row planting methods, respectively, whereas, a 25% reduction in irrigation level caused
a reduction in yield of about 22.8 and 47.7% under the same planting methods. Under both deficit
irrigation levels (I50 and I75), the normal planting method gave higher total yield and yield
components of green pepper than the paired-row planting method. Yield response factor (ky) values
of 0.96 and 1.57 were determined for the normal and paired-row planting methods, respectively,
suggesting utmost precautions when using the paired-row planting in areas with limited water
supply. The results revealed that full irrigation water supply under paired-row planting method
(I100P) could be used for the production of green pepper in an area with no water shortage.
Moreover, it was found that the average yields recorded from the I75 under the paired-row planting
method is fairly greater than the national average.