Bell Pepper Production Research Articles

Soil Fertility, Nutrient Uptake and Yield of Bell Pepper as Influenced by Conjoint Application of Organic and Inorganic Fertilizers

ABSTRACT A two-year experiment (2014 and 2015) was conducted to investigate the conjoint effect of organic manures, plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), and inorganic fertilizers on soil fertility, nutrient uptake, plant biomass, and fruit yield of bell pepper. The experiment was conducted during kharif season on sandy loam soils of mid-hills of Himachal Pradesh. Treatment T6 [application of 75% N + remaining 25% N through vermicompost (VC) + poultry manure (PM) + full quantity farm yard manure (FYM), P and K + PGPR] resulted greatest available N (396.29 kg ha−1), K (484.65 kg ha−1), Zn (0.63 mg kg−1), Fe (4.14 mg kg−1), and Mn (3.19 mg kg−1) in soil along with more uptake of N (133.34 kg ha−1), P (32.57 kg ha−1), and Cu (76.32 g ha−1) by the plants. Further, the treatment T4 produced similar effect and obtained greatest values for characters like yield (420.37 kg ha−1), organic C in soil (2.09%), available P (42.07 kg ha−1), and Cu (0.73 mg kg−1) in soil as well as uptake of K (73.31 kg ha−1), Zn (123.39 g ha−1), Fe (321.36 g ha−1), and Mn (103.52 g ha−1) by the plants. Results of this study suggested that integrated use of organic manures, i.e. FYM, VC, and PM up to 25–50% with inorganic fertilizers is beneficial for improving soil health, nutrient uptake as well as for sustainable bell pepper production.

Bell pepper production under saline stress and fertigation with different K+/Ca2+ ratios in a protected environment

Bell peppers are sensitive to salinity; therefore, it is necessary to find alternatives to reduce saline stress. An experiment was conducted in a greenhouse at Federal Rural University of the Semi-Arid Region, in Mossoró, Rio Grande do Norte State, Brazil, to evaluate the effects of salinity and K+/Ca2+ ratios on bell pepper production. The experimental design consisted of randomized blocks in a 5 x 4 factorial scheme with four replicates, corresponding to five K+/Ca2+ ratios (F1 = 3.3/1, F2 = 2.8/1, F3 = 2.2/1, F4 = 1.8/1, and F5 = 1.5/1) and four salinity levels in the nutrient solution using NaCl (1.75, 3.25, 4.75, and 6.25 dS m-1). The following parameters were evaluated: the number of fruits (total, marketable and unmarketable), the mean weight of fruits (marketable and unmarketable), fruit production (total, marketable and percentage of marketable fruits) and a salinity tolerance index. Generally, nutrient solution enrichment with K+ or Ca2+ did not cause significant increments in bell pepper yield. The fertigation treatments F2, F3, and F5 led to a higher bell pepper tolerance to salinity, allowing waters with higher salt concentrations to be used without causing a reduction in the yield.

Cultivar Selection and Placement of Shadecloth on Midwest High Tunnels Affects Colored Bell Pepper Yield, Fruit Quality, and Plant Growth

Growing colored bell peppers in high tunnels enhances fruit quality and accelerates ripening. While there are benefits to high tunnel pepper production, increased heat inside the structures can lead to plant stress, blossom drop, sunscald, and reduced marketable yields. The objective of this study was to test shadecloth treatments placed on high tunnels to mitigate heat stress and improve colored bell pepper yield and fruit quality, while also identifying cultivars that perform well within Midwest high tunnel systems. Research was conducted at the Iowa State University Horticulture Research Station (Ames, IA) from 11 May to 11 Oct. in 2017 and 3 May to 9 Oct. in 2018. Six single-poly passively ventilated Quonset high tunnels were used for the experiment. The shade treatments (no shadecloth, 30% light-reducing shadecloth, and 50% light-reducing shadecloth) were applied in June of each season. Within each shade treatment, there were three randomized complete blocks of the seven colored bell pepper cultivars (Archimedes, Delirio, Flavorburst, Red Knight, Sirius, Summer Sweet, and Tequila). Data were collected on yield, fruit quality, and plant growth characteristics. Environmental parameters were monitored throughout the growing season. Both the 30% and 50% shadecloth treatments reduced monthly average and maximum air temperatures within high tunnels, with the largest differences occurring in the months of July and August. The use of a shadecloth reduced the incidence of sunscald by 59% between no shade and 50% shadecloth treatments. While there was no difference between 30% and 50% shade treatments, the use of 50% shadecloth caused a decrease in both marketable number (32%) and weight (29%) of pepper fruit compared with the control. ‘Tequila’, ‘Delirio’, and ‘Flavorburst’ had more marketable fruit per plant. Shade treatments did not affect fruit soluble solids content (SSC), pH, or total titratable acidity (TTA). Shade treatments had no effect on Soil Plant Analysis Development (SPAD) readings, shoot biomass, the number of leaves per plant or the total leaf area per plant; however, plant height increased by an average 14.5 cm for plants under shadecloth treatments. Average leaf size was 11.2 cm2 larger on plants grown under the 50% shadecloth, compared with the control. Several cultivar differences existed for each fruit quality and plant growth parameter. While differences in fruit quality and plant growth parameters were limited among shade treatments, decreasing marketable yield is concerning. Our research suggests that Midwest growers should not exceed 30% light-reducing shadecloth on their high tunnels for colored bell pepper production.

Evaluation of the sustainability of four greenhouse vegetable production ecosystems based on an analysis of emergy and social characteristics”

The use of emergy to evaluate the sustainability of greenhouse systems leads to management recommendations to increase the sustainability of production in these systems. In this study, four greenhouse systems for cucumber, tomato, bell pepper, and eggplant production, located in Jiroft city, Iran, were evaluated using emergy sustainability indices. To accomplish this study, 56, 31, 19, and 12 greenhouses were selected for cucumber, tomato, bell pepper, and eggplant production, respectively. Analysis of twelve emergy indices and a study of the social characteristics of the producers using Analytic Hierarchy Analysis showed that the sustainability of the cucumber production system was greater than that of the other three systems. The calculated unit emergy values for economic yield (UEVE) generally indicated that greenhouse systems were at least 100 times more sustainable than open farm systems for the production of different products, primarily because of drastically reduced soil erosion. The highest (5.10E+04 sej J−1 [4.96E+04, 5.25E+04]) and lowest (7.27E+03 sej J−1 [7.09E+03, 7.45E+03]) UEVE values were calculated for the bell pepper and cucumber systems, respectively. Also, cucumber producers had greenhouses with larger areas compared to the greenhouses used for the other crops examined in this study. The physiological characteristics of cucumber plants resulted in greater sustainability of this system, because the plants were able to capture more of the free renewable energy, had a higher production potential, and this production system made more efficient use of the workforce. In contrast, the highest proportion of purchased non-renewable resources reduced the sustainability of the eggplant production system compared to the other systems studied. Therefore, selection of a plant with more potential to use free local environmental energy, higher yield, and more efficient use of labor will lead to greater sustainability of greenhouse vegetable production systems. Sustainability can also be increased by paying attention to the socio-technical characteristics of the producers, the use of technologies to reduce non-renewable inputs to the greenhouse building, and by reducing the proportion of non-renewable inputs used overall.

YIELD OF FERTIGATED BELL PEPPER UNDER DIFFERENT SOIL WATER TENSIONS AND NITROGEN FERTILIZATION1

ABSTRACT Considering the lack of technical information on the water depth and nitrogen fertilization via fertigation in protected cultivation for bell pepper production in northern Brazil, this paper aimed to study the soil water tensions under different nitrogen doses for the cultivation of bell pepper in protected environment. The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse at the Igarapé-Açu School Farm of the Federal Rural University of the Amazon, at 1.0 x 0.50 m spacing, using the experimental design of randomized blocks in a 5x4 factorial scheme, with three replicates. The treatments consisted of five soil water tensions (15, 25, 35, 45 and 65 kPa) and four nitrogen doses (0, 135, 265 and 395 kg ha-1). There was interaction between soil water tension and nitrogen doses only for nitrogen use efficiency, and the best value was obtained with the combination between soil water tension of 15 kPa and nitrogen dose of 135 kg ha-1. Total number of fruits, fruit length and fruit diameter showed significant differences only as a function of soil water tensions. Production per plant, total yield and water use efficiency were statistically significant for soil water tensions and nitrogen doses. Therefore, for the conditions in which this study was carried out, it is recommended to apply a soil water tension of 15 kPa and nitrogen dose of 265 kg ha-1 for bell pepper cultivation in protected environment.

Evaluation of Dominus® (allylisothiocyanate) for tomato and bell pepper production

Evaluation of Dominus^® (allylisothiocyanate) for tomato and bell pepper production

Productivity of Capsicum annuum under Grewia optiva-Based traditional agroforestry system in mid hill zone of Himachal Pradesh (India)

Agroforestry is relatively a new name for a set of old practices. The multifarious trees deliberately retained by the farmers on the farm bund form the agroforestry combinations, which supplement the fodder, fuel, fiber, fruits and flosses as their life support system. Grewia optiva is an important fodder tree retained on farm bunds by farmers in Western Himalayan region. The present investigation was aimed to study the effect of G. optiva based traditional agroforestry system i.e. agri-silviculture, on the productivity of bell pepper (Capsicum annuum). The crown spread of tree was considered major factor and categorized into different classes for quantifying its effect on crop growth and production along radial transects from tree trunk. Results revealed that the crown classes significantly affected the yield of bell pepper causing about 33% reduction in yield under tree canopy as compared to the open condition.

Energy and environmental evaluation of greenhouse bell pepper production with life cycle assessment approach

Abstract The aim of this study is to evaluate the energy flow and environmental impacts of bell pepper production in greenhouse structure with Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) method. For this purpose, the initial data were collected through face-to-face interviews with greenhouse pepper producers in Tiran and Karvan city that is located in Isfahan province, Iran. In this study, greenhouse gate and one tonne of pepper production were selected as the system boundary and functional unit, respectively. The total input energy was 201709 MJton−1. The energy efficiency, energy productivity, specific energy and net energy gain were found as 0.003, 0.005 kg MJ−1, 201.7 MJ kg−1 and -200909 MJ ton−1, respectively. Ten impact categories including abiotic depletion, acidification, eutrophication, global warming, ozone layer depletion, human toxicity, freshwater aquatic eco-toxicity, marine aquatic eco-toxicity, terrestrial eco-toxicity and photochemical oxidation potential were investigated. The normalization results showed that the marine water eco-toxicity, fresh water eco-toxicity and abiotic resources depletion had the highest values among all impact categories, respectively. Finally, It is concluded that natural gas is one of the main energy consuming inputs and emission sources and considered as environmental hot spot in greenhouse bell pepper production.

Embedded system for regulating abiotic parameters for Capsicum cultivation in a polyhouse with comparison to open-field cultivation

ABSTRACT Polyhouse cultivation enables year-round production of bell pepper (Capsicum annuum L.). Maintaining a favorable micro-climate inside a polyhouse is mostly through manual operation of environmental control systems in developing countries, and to varying degrees, with automation in developed countries. In this study automation of micro-climate control through sensors and controllers was examined. Soil moisture, relative humidity, and air temperature sensors were installed at different locations inside a polyhouse for the operation of irrigation, foggers, and fan-pad cooling systems. Threshold values of these parameterswere set as input to the programmable logic controller and systems. Bell pepper is an economically important crop rich in nutrients. The efficacy of the use of an automated system to control the growing environment for this crop needs to be clarified. The experiment was conducted using cv. Swarna, grown under open-field and polyhouse culture, at irrigation levels of 80% or 100% of crop evapotranspiration. Type of growing environment affected yield and fruit size, with production in the polyhouse being better, but irrigation level did not. The programmable logic controller-based automation system worked well for micro-climate control leading to 93% and 53% higher yield and fruit weight, respectively, in the polyhouse than open-field cultivation. The programmable logic controller-based automation can aid in maintaining a favorable microclimate inside a greenhouse leading to better bell pepper yield.

Reduced Use of Restricted and Danger-Labeled Pesticides in Florida Bell Pepper Production (1992-2004)

Pesticide use values for 2004 compared to peak usage data for the period 1992 through 2004 demonstrate a 56% reduction in the application of restricted or “Danger”-labeled insecticides in bell pepper. Paraquat use was reduced by 89%. Fumigant use (35% reduction) was mainly influenced by rate reduction, rather than reduction of use (1-7). This document is PI-86, one of a series of publications of the Pesticide Information Office, Agronomy Department, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. Published November 2005.

Differential development of wilt and stem rot diseases in grafted bell pepper (Capsicum annuum, L.)

In bell pepper production, diseases caused by soil-borne pathogens are a serious problem. The use of chemicals remains the main method for the control of soil-borne pathogens, with poor results in many cases. However, grafting has been proposed as an alternative which can also improve control. The present study analyses and compares the development of diseases caused by soil-borne pathogens in grafted and non-grafted sweet bell pepper plants. Plots of cultivars Fascinato and Janette non-grafted and grafted on Terrano rootstock were established on a farm managed under the shaded greenhouse system. Phytophthora capsici and Rhizoctonia solani AG4 were identified causing wilt. Fusarium solani was identified causing stem rot. Terrano resisted wilt by reducing the apparent infection rate and the final incidence in the Fascinato variety by 92% and 89%, respectively, and in the Janette variety by 99% and 98%, respectively. However, Terrano was not resistant to stem rot. Compared to non-grafted plants, Terrano had a higher apparent infection rate and final incidence, which in Fascinato were 56% and 60%, respectively, and in Janette were 97% and 99%, respectively. Terrano also affected the spatial patterns of both wilt and stem rot. These results show that it is necessary to supplement the use of Terrano with other strategies. This complicates the goal of reducing the use of chemicals, environmental pollution and the costs of control in the production of sweet bell pepper.

Effects of daytime intra-canopy LED illumination on photosynthesis and productivity of bell pepper grown in protected cultivation

In the past decade, light-emitting diodes (LEDs) have been replacing most other types of light sources. One emerging use for LEDs in horticulture is ‘intra-canopy illumination’ or ‘LED-interlighting’, feasible owing to their low heat output and small physical size. The interlighting technique, typically implemented in environmentally-controlled greenhouses also supplemented with overhead lighting, is mostly relevant for high-wire vegetable cultivation, in which self-shading results in light limitations for a large fraction of the canopy. Interlighting has been shown to increase the yield and/or improve fruit quality in all-year round greenhouse crops such as tomato, cucumber and sweet pepper. In this work, we utilized daytime supplemental intra-canopy LED illumination for sweet pepper grown in high-density ‘Spanish’ trellis systems within passive high tunnels in the Jordan Valley, Israel (latitude ˜32 °N). While canopy top at these conditions is not light-limited, extensive deep shading of the inner canopy is a disadvantage. In two experiments carried out in two separate seasons, the supplemental lighting, which enhanced the photosynthetic rates of the inner canopy foliage by 3.5- to 5.7-fold, resulted in significant increase (˜30%) of the fruit yield during the spring season. The added yield was attained by higher fruit numbers, with no notable effects on fruit size or weight. Our results raise the prospect that LED-interlighting may be a useful practical tool for maximizing fruit production, even in geographical regions of ample sunlight.

Colletotrichum brevisporum is associated with anthracnose of red bell pepper fruit in Trinidad

Bell pepper (Capsicum annuum) production in Trinidad is year-round and covers approximately 116 acres with an estimated annual yield of 1,600 tonnes. Colletotrichum truncatum is the predominant fungal pathogen causing anthracnose of pepper…

Irrigation management methods for the production of bell pepper in agricultural substrates

This study’s objective was to assess the response and effectiveness of irrigation management systems for the production of bell pepper with different agricultural substrates, under protected conditions. The current study was conducted in a greenhouse located in Juazeiro, BA, in the northwest of Brazil. The experiment design was completely randomized in a split-plot system, with two irrigation treatments as the main plots (the drainage lysimeter and the Piché evaporimeter) and two substrates in each sub-plot (coconut fiber and pinus bark), with 5 replications per treatment. Harvest was conducted from 86 to 151 days after transplanting, and the following characteristics were evaluated: total, marketable and unmarketable yields, production per plant, fresh mass of fruits, fruit number per plant, length and diameter of fruits, length/diameter ratio, water use efficiency, pulp thickness, fruit pH, soluble solids, and titratable acidity. No interaction effects between irrigation treatments and substrates were observed on the following variables: total yield, marketable yield, non-marketable yield, production per plant, mean mass, and diameter of marketable fruits. Irrigation treatments and substrates did not show a significant effect on bell pepper yield. Drainage lysimeter-based management and coconut fiber substrate had the best results in terms of the physical quality of fruits, whereas pinus bark-based substrate positively influenced all chemical variables and the Piché evaporimeter-based irrigation management showed a good performance raising fruit pH in relation to fruits cultivated in lysimeter with pinus bark. Additional research is required under different environmental conditions so that this crop fully expresses its yield potential.

An Overview of the U.S. Bell Pepper Industry

Bell pepper is one of the most widely cultivated vegetable crops in the world; it is widely grown all over the United States, and production of bell pepper has been a major economic contribution to the vegetable industry in Florida and California. This 4-page fact sheet written by Trina Biswas, Zhengfei Guan, and Feng Wu and published by the UF/IFAS Food and Resource Economics Department provides an overview of the US bell pepper industry, including production, prices, and trade. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fe1028

Modelling greenhouse climate factors to constrain internal fruit rot (Fusarium spp.) in bell pepper

Internal fruit rot in bell pepper is an important fungal disease which results in mycelium growth and/or necrosis on the ovarium and fruit flesh. It is mainly caused by members of the Fusarium lactis species complex and emerged as a major threat for bell pepper production worldwide. Infection already starts during anthesis, but the symptoms are only visible later on in the production chain. An accurate prediction of the disease incidence in the greenhouse based on environmental parameters is an important step towards a sustainable disease control. Based on a large dataset (2011–2016), a binomial, logistic regression model was developed. This model enables an accurate prediction of internal fruit rot occurrence based on simple and robust input parameters such as temperature and relative humidity during anthesis. Spore density was included as a simplified, practical parameter describing the presence or absence of internal fruit rot 1 week earlier. The obtained model was validated with an independent dataset of five different commercial bell pepper greenhouses. The chance of internal fruit rot infection increased with temperature and relative humidity. Once a greenhouse is infected, only lower temperatures can reduce future risks. However, the chance of the disease to occur remains very high. This prediction model offers a strong instrument for growers to optimize greenhouse climate conditions to restrain internal fruit rot incidence. In addition, the model can be used to apply accurate biological or chemical treatments to achieve a more sustainable greenhouse control. A guideline table for climate adjustment is presented.

Effect of two environments and fertilization recommendations on the development and production of bell pepper (cv. Nathalie)

Buscando mitigar la implementación de técnicas inadecuadas para el manejo agronómico del pimentón como el no balanceo nutricional entre lo aportado por el suelo, los requerimientos del cultivo y la eficiencia de los fertilizantes, el uso excesivo de fuentes compuestas y la no disponibilidad de estudios sobre recomendaciones en los diferentes ambientes donde se desarrolla. Se realizó la evaluación de cuatro tratamientos de fertilización bajo condiciones de campo abierto y protegido bajo cubierta plástica, con el cultivar Nathalie, durante el 2014-B y 2015-A, en el Centro de Investigación La Selva de CORPOICA, Rionegro – Antioquia, Colombia. Los tratamientos (T) evaluados fueron: T1: 250, 75, 180 y 90; T2: 170, 50, 120 y 60; T3: 100, 40, 80 y 40 y T4: 60, 25, 50 y 25 kg.ha-1 de N, P2O5, K2O y MgO, respectivamente. T2 y T4 corresponden a requerimientos del cultivo establecidos por investigaciones anteriores. Se emplearon como fuentes simples: Urea, DAP, Cloruro de potasio y Sulfato de magnesio; en un diseño de parcelas divididas. Para las variables tasa de crecimiento relativo del cultivo (TCR) y rendimiento, se presentaron diferencias bajo las dos condiciones evaluadas. En Campo Abierto, se registró la mayor producción y diámetro de tallos; no se presentaron diferencias entre los tratamientos evaluados. Se recomienda el T3 que mostró rendimientos similares a los otros tres, permitió reestablecer y mantener los niveles de fertilidad del suelo, con un uso racional, eficiente y bajo de los fertilizantes, sin generar problemas de contaminación y salinidad.

Impacts of copper oxide nanoparticles on bell pepper (Capsicum annumL.) plants: a full life cycle study

CuO nanoparticles or compounds affect physiological parameters in bell pepper plants.

Quality of Yellow Bell Pepper Fruits Cultivated in Fertilized Soil with Yellow Water and Cassava Wastewater

Currently there is a great need for reuse of water in agricultural activity, aiming at reducing environmental impacts and production costs. The objective of this study was to evaluate the fruit production of hybrid Satrapo bell pepper, under fertilization with yellow water and cassava wastewater. The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse located at Campina Grande city, PB. The experimental design was completely randomized, with eight treatments and five replications, totaling 40 experimental plots. The treatments were characterized by fertilization with cattle manure (EB); NPK; human urine (HU); cassava wastewater (M); cassava wastewater and human urine (UH+M); the double volume of human urine (2xUH); the double volume of cassava wastewater (2xM); and the double volume of human urine and cassava wastewater (2xUH+M). At 60 day after transplanting (DAT) were evaluated the diameter, thickness of mesocarp, fresh and dry phytomass and number of lobes of yellow bell pepper fruits.According to the results, there were significant differences in the variables analyzed due to the treatments applied. The treatment corresponding to 2xM provided the highest results for length, diameter, thickness of the mesocarp, fresh and dry phytomass of the bell pepper fruits. On the contrary, 2xUH was the treatment that provided the lowest values for these variables and provided the highest number of lobes.

Effect of seed treatment, soil application and foliar spray of some insecticides on seed quality of bell pepper (Capsicum annuum L.)

Studies were carried out to evaluate the efficacy of some insecticides as seed treatment, soil application and foliar sprays on seed quality characters of bell pepper (Capsicum annuumL.) cultivar Solan Bharpur during Kha-rif season 2013. The treatments comprised of seed application of imidacloprid (Gaucho 600FS) and thiamethox-am (Cruiser 70WS), soil application of neem cake@ 2 q/acre and carbofuran @ 6 kg/acre and foliar sprays of im-idacloprid (Confidor 200 SL), thiamethoxam (Actara 25 WS), indoxacarb14.5 SC @ 0.5ml/l, NSKE (neem seed ker-nel extract) @ 5%, Neem Raj 500ppm @ 2.5ml/l and control. The observations regarding quality parameters record-ed were germination percentage, seedling length, seeding dry weight, seed vigour index-I, seed vigour index-II and electrical conductivity. The results revealed that treatment combination viz., seed treatment and foliar spray with thiamethoxam (S2F2) recorded significantly higher germination percentage (96.33%), seed vigour index-I (934.10), seed vigour index-II (245.02) and minimum electrical conductivity (216.67dSm-1) at 0.05 level of significance. Therefore, seed treatment and foliar spray of thiamethoxam may be recommended for quality seed production of bell pepper.