Influence of irrigation regimes and fertigation levels on fruit yield and quality of polyhouse-grown bell pepper

Abstract

An experiment was carried out during 2014-15 to study the fruit yield and quality of bell pepper grown under a naturally ventilated polyhouse with three irrigation regimes [I(1): 40, I(2): 60 and I3: 80% of crop evapotranspiration (ETc)] and three fertigation levels (F(1): 50, F(2): 75 and F(3): 100% of recommended dose of fertilizers) along with a control (drip irrigation at 100% ETc + soil application of fertilizers). Daily measured outside evaporation ranged from 1.9 to 14.4 mm day-1 during cropping season. Cumulative water requirements under the different irrigation regimes were 793, 635, 476 and 317 mm for 100, 80, 60 and 40% of ETc, respectively. Irrigation replenishment at 60 and 80% of ETc were at par with significantly higher fruit yield (8.10 and 8.16 kg m(-2), respectively), moisture content (92.84 and 93.05%) and crude fibre (2.33 and 2.28%). The maximum total dietary fibre content (2.50%) occurred under 60% of ETc. Ascorbic acid (171.46 mg 100 g(-1)) and total soluble solids (5.38 °Brix) contents were significantly highest at 40% of ETc irrigation regime. Among the fertigation levels, F(2) (75%) and F3 (100%) were at par with regard to fruit yield and most of the quality parameters. All the interactions of I×F outperformed the control with respect to fruit yield and the majority of the fruit quality parameters. From this study, it is concluded that the combination of irrigation replenishment at 60% of ETc and fertigation with 75% recommended fertilizer dose (I(1)×F(2) was optimal for obtaining a higher yield in bell pepper with better qual)ity fruits, along with savings of 40% of irrigation water and 25% of fertilizers.