Growth, Yield and Yield Characteristics of Three Pepper Cultivars to Fertilizers Application in the Mount Cameroon Region

Abstract

This study determined the effects of organic and inorganic fertilizers on growth and yield of three pepper cultivars in the Mount Cameroon Region. Pepper seedlings were treated with six treatments (T1 = no fertilizers (control), T2 = 250 Kg/ha NPK 20:10:10, T3 = 350 Kg/ha NPK 20:10:10, T4 = 450 Kg/ha NPK 20:10:10, T5 = 20 Mg/ha poultry manure (PM), T6 = 30 Mg/ha PM). The effects of fertilizers had a significant effect on vegetative growth and yield of Capsicum chinense cv. “Big Sun” plants had the maximum plant height (39.09 cm) and mean collar diameter (6.02 mm) in plots treated with poultry manure at 20 Mg/ha (T5) and 30 Mg/ha (T6) respectively. The highest yield (33.63 Mg/ha) was in Capsicum chinense cv. Safi plants supplied with 30 Mg/ha poultry manure (T6) and the lowest yield (10.44 Mg/ha) was in Capsicum frutescens in control plots (T1). The highest fruit diameter (11.08 mm) and longest fruits (18.39 mm) were observed in Capsicum chinense cv. Big Sun plants supplied with 30 Mg/ha poultry manure. Capsicum frutescens fruits had the highest concentration of N (2.39%), P (0.42%) and K (3.06%). Essential oils analysis shows that there were 179 essential oils from pepper fruits of Capsicum chinense cv. Safi, with major essential oil been 3,4-dimethyl-benzaldehyde and main essential oils were alpha Terpinene and alpha Pinene based on their abundance. Fruits of Capsicum chinense cv. Big Sun had two-hundred and eight essential oils with major essential oil been 1,3,5-Trimethyl-1-H-pyrazol-4-amine and main essential oils were Caryophyllene oxide and Cymene, based on their abundance. Fruits of Capsicum frutescens had one-hundred and eighty-one essential oils with major essential oil been Limonene, and main essential oils were Carvacrol and D-limonene with respect to abundance. Results show that 20 Mg/ha poultry manure was the most cost effective in the production of pepper in Buea Cameroon.