Optimasi Jarak Tanam dan Waktu Pengendalian Gulma terhadap Pertumbuhan dan Hasil Tanaman Cabai Rawit (Capsicum frutescens L.) pada Musim Penghujan: Optimization of Planting Spacing and Weed Control Timing for the Growth and Yield of Bird's Eye Chili (Capsicum frutescens L.) During the Rainy Season

Aulia, Nova
Widowati
Utik Tri Wulan Cahya

Dinamika Pertanian
Vol. 42 No. 2 (2026): Jurnal Dinamika Pertanian Agustus 2026

Background: Chili pepper (Capsicum frutescens L.) productivity often declines in the rainy season due to weed growth and suboptimal planting distance. Objective: This study determined the effect of planting distance and weed control timing, and their interaction, on chili pepper growth in the rainy season. Methods: A Factorial Randomized Block Design was used with two factors: planting distance (25 x 50 cm; 50 x 50 cm) and weed control timing (uncontrolled; critical phase; vegetative-critical-generative phase; 20-day intervals), giving 8 combinations replicated four times. Data were analyzed by ANOVA (5%), followed by the BNT test. Results: The interaction was significant only for plant height, with K2M2 (50 x 50 cm, vegetative-critical-generative weed control) producing the tallest plants (138.25 cm). For other parameters, only main effects were significant: wider spacing and vegetative-critical-generative weed control each independently increased leaf, branch, and flower number, while fruit number and weight were unaffected. Conclusion: Planting spacing of 50 × 50 cm combined with vegetative-critical-generative weed control provided the best growth response of bird's eye chili