INFLUENCE OF NITROGEN AND POTASSIUM FERTILIZERS RATE COMBINED WITH SALICYLIC ACID ON GROWTH, YIELD AND QUALITY OF HOT PEPPER CV. “CHAMPION”

Author

Dept. Hort. (Olericulture), Fac. Agric., Zagazig Univ., Egypt.

Abstract

In order to investigate the influence of nitrogenous and potassium fertilizer’s rates (0.0, 50, 75 and 100% of recommended rate), salicylic acid concentration (0.0, 50 and 100 ppm) and their interactions on hot pepper plants cv. Champion, a field experiment was assessed. The NK recommended rate (RR) as equivalency for planting area was 90 and 76 kg of N and K2O/feddan, respectively. This experiment was set up in a split-plot design with three replicates and conducted in Agric. Res. Farm, Fac. Agric., Zagazig Univ., Egypt during the two consecutive summer seasons of 2019 and 2020. Results referred to the positive influence of nitrogen and potassium fertilization rate on hot pepper plants growth parameters i.e. plant height, number of branches per plant, stem diameter as well as fresh and dry weights of plant, which increased as the NK fertilization rate increased in comparison with control. Increasing nitrogen and potassium fertilization rate gradually increased fruit yield components and its quality as well as capsiacine content. In addition, salicylic acid at 100 ppm gave the maximum values in plant growth parameters and yield components of hot pepper plants compared to control. The best values regard early and total fruit yield as well as total soluble solids, total chlorophyll content and vitamin C were achieved by supplying 50 and 100 ppm salicylic acid compared to control (sprayed with normal water).

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