Pepper Yield Research Articles

Chicken and sawdust decomposed and their effect on the performance of chili pepper in Aguaytía, Ucayali

The effect of the application of three levels of chicken manure and three levels of decomposed sawdust on the yield of the chili pepper (Capsicum frutescens L.) in Aguaytía - Ucayali, located at Km. 171 of the Carretera Federico Basadre left bank, Pucallpa was studied. - Lima, interior 3.2 km, for which, a nursery was made for storing and ringing the seedlings into ringing bags, which were later installed in the prepared crop field, to which the organic fertilizers were applied. in a localized manner, at the time of installation and every three months, studying two factors: chicken manure (0, 1 and 2 kg / plant) and decomposed sawdust (0, 1 and 2 kg / plant) and their combinations, under a design of complete random block with a 3 x 3 factorial arrangement and a Duncan mean test at 0.05%, determining that, as the amount of decomposed manure applied to the plant increases, the values in the development variables increase vegetative o and yield, being the application of 6 kg of chicken manure per plant which achieved the best averages in all the variables studied, also observing that, as the amount of decomposed sawdust applied to the plant is increased, the values in all the The variables studied decrease, being the treatment without the application of decomposed sawdust the one that achieved the best averages, corroborating this behavior in the interaction of the factors, in which the application of 6 kg of decomposed chicken manure alone achieved the best averages in all the variables studied.

ESTIMATION OF HETEROSIS AND POTENCE RATIO FOR PLANT YIELD IN HOT PEPPER

Hot pepper (Capsicum annuum L) is widespread and cultivated for its pungent fruits worldwide and used for fresh consumption or dry powder. The biological material was composed of six hot pepper genotypes, genetically and ecologically differentiated, used as parents and 15 hybrids of half-diallel crosses between these parents. The aim of this research was to estimate the level of heterosis and breeding potential for plant yield of 15 F1 hybrids between six hot pepper parents, in order to identify and select promising crosses for improvement programs of hot pepper. In terms of heterobeltiosis, only the crosses Cs3 x Cayenne (122.81%) and Cs3 x Cs2 (5.02%) showed a higher plant yield than the best parent, with increases between 23.6 and 513 g. For 63.5% of the crosses the inheritance of plant yield was under the control of incomplete dominance, who acts bidirectional. In the crosses: Cs3 x Ar4, Cs2 x Sigaretta bionda and Ar4 x Sigaretta bionda the incomplete dominance acts in the direction of increasing plant yield, while at crosses: Cs3 x Sigaretta bionda, Cs2 x Ico, Cayenne x Sigaretta bionda, Cayenne x Ico, Ar4 x Ico and Sigaretta bionda x Ico, this type of dominance has negative effects on plant yield. The over dominance has been associated with positive alleles in hybrids Cs3 x Cayenne and Cs3 x Cs2, and with negative alleles at Cs 2 x Cayenne, Cs 2 x Ar 4 şi Cayenne x Ar 4 crosses, respectively. In the case of the Cs3 x Ico cross, the dominance effects do not influence the inheritance of this trait. The crosses Cs3 x Ico, Cs3 x Cayenne and Sigaretta bionda x Ico presented the highest breeding potential for plant yield, representing a promising pre-breeding material for improvement of hot pepper yield.

INFLUNCE OF CULTIVARS, PLANT GEOMETRY, HUMIC ACID AND THEIR INTERACTIONS ON GROWTH AND YIELD OF NIGER (Guizotia abyssinicia Cass.) CROP

INFLUNCE OF CULTIVARS, PLANT GEOMETRY, HUMIC ACID AND THEIR INTERACTIONS ON GROWTH AND YIELD OF NIGER (Guizotia abyssinicia Cass.) CROP

Growth, Fruit Yield and Proximate Composition Responses of Hot Pepper (Capsicum annuum L; Rodo Variety) to Potassium Fertilizer Application at Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria

Potassium (K) fertilizer application, as a component of the improved technologies necessary to maximize crop yield and quality, is often used to correct the plant, soil and environmental factors that limit K availability. The effects of 0, 30, 60 and 90 kg K2O ha-1 were studied on hot pepper (Capsicum annuum L; Atarodovariety) in 2014 and 2015 on the Teaching and Research Farm, Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti Nigeria in a Randomized Complete Block Design with four replicates. Each K rate was mixed with 75 kg N and 25 kg P2O5 ha-1 and applied 2 weeks after transplanting 5-week old seedlings spaced 60 cm × 40 cm apart. The data of growth parameters were collected at 2 weeks after treatment (WAT) and fortnightly till 10 WAT, number and weight of ripe fruits and fruit proximate composition. The plant height, number of leaves, leaf area and dry matter increased with age and K rates to highest values at 10 WAT and 90 kg K2O ha-1 in both years. The number of fruits, fruit and seed yield ha-1, fruit size, fruit length and breadth and pericarp thickness increased linearly from the control to the highest values at 90 kg K2O ha-1.The number of fruits and yield at 90 kg K2O ha-1 were 1.253×106, 14.24 t ha-1; and 3.73×106, 14.94 t ha-1 in 2014 and 2015, respectively but the 60 kg K2O ha-1 gave the highest agronomic efficiency. The slight increase in fruit moisture content would not predispose fruits to deterioration while the crude protein and fat, carbohydrate and ash contents, vitamin C and mineral nutrients increased significantly making K application necessary to balance the fertilizer protocol for optimum hot pepper production.

Influence of soil amendment of different concentrations of amino acid water-soluble fertilizer on physiological characteristics, yield and quality of "Hangjiao No.2" Chili Pepper.

Amino acids are well known as natural stimulators of plant growth and are widely used to promote crop yield and quality. Several studies have been conducted to investigate the effects of amino acid (s) as a foliar spray on a variety of plant species. However, the effects of soil amendment of different concentrations of amino acid water-soluble fertilizer on the physiological characteristics, yield, and quality of pepper remain unclear. Following this, three experimental sets of amino acid water-soluble fertilizer in the ratio 1.8: 2.7: 3.6 kg including control (CK) were conducted in Lintao county, Gansu province. The treatments were applied through furrow method at 6 weeks after planting. The results showed that physiological characteristics of the pepper plants, such as chlorophyll a (1.35 mg g−1), and b (0.67 mg g−1), total chlorophyll (2.02 mg g−1), carotenoid (0.63 mg g−1), ETR (26.25 µmol m−2s−1), Fv/Fm (0.75), Qp (0.92) contents of the leaves were increased by the 1.8 kg treatment while NPQ (71.37%) and root activity (2185.52 µg g−1 h−1) were improved by the 3.6 kg treatment compared to the control. Fertilization with 2.7 kg of amino acid water-soluble fertilizer also had a significant influence on fruit length (25.50 cm), and yield of pepper (37.92 t ha−1) while fruit diameter (24.51 mm), firmness (5.30 kg cm−2), fresh (48.10 g) and dry (4.71 g) weights were higher in the 1.8 kg treatment compared to the control. The lowest rate of fertilizer (1.8 kg) applied again resulted in a significant increase in soluble protein (79.79%), capsaicin (5.80 mg g−1), dihydrocapsaicin (1.08 mg g−1), vitamin C (72.33%) and the essential and non-essential amino acid contents of the pepper which ranged from (235.15 to 11.16 µg g−1) and (1,605.10 to 16.63 µg g−1) respectively, while soluble sugar (9.02%) was enhanced by 3.6 kg treatment compared to the control. The findings suggest that soil amendment with low concentration of amino acid water-soluble fertilizer (1.8 kg) could be successfully used to improve the physiological characteristics and fruit quality of peppers in vegetable production.

Effect of cow vermicompost on growth, fruit yield, and quality of hot pepper (Capsicum annuum var. Red chili)

Effect of cow vermicompost on growth, fruit yield, and quality of hot pepper (Capsicum annuum var. Red chili)

Identification of the Capsicum baccatum NLR Protein CbAR9 Conferring Disease Resistance to Anthracnose.

Anthracnose is caused by Colletotrichum species and is one of the most virulent fungal diseases affecting chili pepper (Capsicum) yield globally. However, the noble genes conferring resistance to Colletotrichum species remain largely elusive. In this study, we identified CbAR9 as the causal locus underlying the large effect quantitative trait locus CcR9 from the anthracnose-resistant chili pepper variety PBC80. CbAR9 encodes a nucleotide-binding and leucine-rich repeat (NLR) protein related to defense-associated NLRs in several other plant species. CbAR9 transcript levels were induced dramatically after Colletotrichum capsici infection. To explore the biological function, we generated transgenic Nicotiana benthamiana lines overexpressing CbAR9, which showed enhanced resistance to C. capsici relative to wild-type plants. Transcript levels of pathogenesis-related (PR) genes increased markedly in CbAR9-overexpressing N. benthamiana plants. Moreover, resistance to anthracnose and transcript levels of PR1 and PR2 were markedly reduced in CbAR9-silenced chili pepper fruits after C. capsici infection. Our results revealed that CbAR9 contributes to innate immunity against C. capsici.

The effect of mulched ridge and furrow micro catchment water harvesting on red pepper yield and quality features in Bafra Plain of Northern Turkey

For two decades, promising results have been obtained by ridge-furrow rainwater harvesting systems (RWHS) to feed the increasing world population and cope with water scarcity and drought in semiarid and arid areas. A two-year study in Turkey's semi-humid Black Sea Region was conducted to examine RWHS's effects on harvested water, soil water content, red pepper growth, yield, quality attributes, water consumption, and crop water productivity (WPc), crop water stress index (CWSI). The profitability of the system was examined by economic analysis. For these purposes, three different polyethylene-covered ridge widths (RWHS1: 100 cm, RWHS2: 120 cm, and RWHS3: 140 cm) were considered. To allow the harvested water infiltration root zone and grow red pepper, 80 cm width furrow areas with double plant rows were left between the covered ridges on contours. To compare the RWHS treatments, three conventional rainfed farming or dry farming treatments (DFS1, DFS2, and DFS3) with 90 cm, 100 cm, and 110 cm plant row distances were considered. Each treatment was replicated three times in the randomized block design experiment. Besides, a multiple regression model was developed to estimate the runoff from the plastic-covered ridges by using independent parameters such as covered ridge ratios and rainfall amounts (R2 = 0.97). The red pepper consumed between 165 and 174 mm water in 2017 and 118–147 mm in 2018. Maximum red pepper yields, which increased by 68% in 2017 and 149% in 2018, were derived from RWHS1 as 33.2 and 27.19 t ha−1, respectively. As plastic-covered ridge width increased, red pepper yield decreased because of lowering plant density. RWHS improved red pepper yield and significantly increased leaf area, plant height, fruit length, and diameter. RWHS produced Turkey's highest red pepper WPc ratios, and RWHS1 improved WPc by 74% in 2017 and 169% in 2018. Although the red pepper consumed nearly the same amount of water under whole treatments, CWSI was lower under RWHS treatments. It was determined that sustainable red pepper farming according to the net income values under rainfed farmland in the region would not be possible without using rainwater harvesting systems such as RWHS1.

Optimisation of the amount of nitrogen enhances quality and yield of pepper

The goals of this study were to explore the characteristics of nitrogen (N) absorption and utilisation of chilli peppers (Capsicum annuum L.), improve the utilisation rate of nitrogen, and provide a theoretical basis for scientific fertilisation. In this experiment, pepper cv. Huoyanjiaowang was used as the material, and potted sand cultures and field randomised block experiments were conducted to study the effects of fertilisation of different forms of nitrogen on the photosynthetic characteristics, chlorophyll, nitrate nitrogen, alkaline nitrogen, capsaicin, dihydrocapsaicin and yield. In the pot experiment, the nitrogen application rates were 0, 10, 100, 320 and 600 mg/L, a level of nitrogen of 100 mg/L significantly inhibited the growth of pepper. With the increase in the application of nitrogen, the photosynthetic capacity gradually decreased, and 10 mg/L was the optimal nitrogen level. Under 0 and 10 mg N/L nitrogen levels in the field experiment, the content of chlorophyll of this group was significantly lower than those of other treatment groups, indicating that the plot lacked nitrogen. With the increase in the level of application of nitrogen, the contents of nitrate nitrogen and alkaline hydrolysis nitrogen in the soil increased. The yield of 153.18 kg/ha and 230 kg/ha nitrogen treatments was relatively high. Therefore, among the five nitrogen treatment levels, treatment with 153.18–230 kg N/ha was the most effective at stimulating the growth and yield of pepper.

Mobilization of organic nitrogen and phosphorus and reduction of synthetic fertilizer usage by Ceriporia lacerata HG2011 in pepper cultivation

Overuse of synthetic fertilizers leads to soil deterioration, environmental pollution, and poor crop quality. To seek microbes that are effective in mobilizing nutrients accumulated in soils is of utmost significance to reduce fertilizer use and increase fertilizer efficiencies. Thus, the mobilization of organic nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) by a wood-rot fungus Ceriporia lacerata HG2011 and pepper performances in response to this fungus were investigated in the laboratory and field. The results showed that C. lacerata HG2011 grew well and produced extracellular protease and phosphatase to convert peptone into free amino acid and NH4+-N, and lecithin into soluble inorganic P in liquid culture. Similarly, NH4+-N, water soluble P and Olsen P were increased by the release of protease and phosphatase as the fungus grew on and in the sterile soil. Compared with only synthetic fertilizer treatment, pepper nutrient uptake (including N, P, and K), nutrient agronomic efficiency, and fruit yield and quality were improved by the application of synthetic fertilizers plus C. lacerata HG2011 and remained unchanged in the treatment of reduced synthetic fertilizers plus C. lacerata HG2011. The field soil that received this fungus showed the higher activities of protease and phosphatase, which lead to higher N and P availability than that without C. lacerata HG2011.Taken together, C. lacerata HG2011 mobilized organic nitrogen and phosphorus, increased pepper yield and quality, and reduced synthetic fertilizer use without yield and quality sacrifices, showing a promising new use in modern sustainable agriculture beyond medical, industrial, and environmental purposes.

Effects of Different Effective Microorganism and Nitrogen Fertilization Doses On Seed Yield and Quality of Pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) Plants

Effects of Different Effective Microorganism and Nitrogen Fertilization Doses On Seed Yield and Quality of Pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) Plants

Responses of yield, quality and water-nitrogen use efficiency of greenhouse sweet pepper to different drip fertigation regimes in Northwest China

Given water resources scarcity in Northwest China and the urgent need for the integration and optimization of scientific and technological resources in facility agriculture, this experiment explored the appropriate water and fertilizer management measures for greenhouse sweet pepper under fertilization in Northwest China. A two-year drip fertigation sweet pepper experiment was conducted in a solar greenhouse, with four irrigation levels (W1: 105% ETC, W2: 90% ETC, W3: 75% ETC, W4: 60% ETC) and four nitrogen levels (N1: 300 kg/ha, N2: 225 kg/ha, N3: 150 kg/ha, N4: 75 kg/ha). The results showed that above-ground dry matter accumulation (DMA), yield, harvest index (HI), and water use efficiency (WUE) of sweet pepper increased first and then decreased with the increase of irrigation/nitrogen amounts under the same nitrogen/irrigation levels. The partial factor productivity of nitrogen (PFPN) decreased significantly with the increase of nitrogen application rate, while it increased first and then decreased with the increase of irrigation level. The PFPN reached a peak at W2 level, despite no significant difference between W2 and W3 levels. With the increase of nitrogen application rate, soluble sugar and vitamin C content increased first and then decreased with a maximum at N3 level; nitrate content increased with the increase of nitrogen application rate, and there was no significant difference between N4 and N3 levels. The contents of soluble sugar and nitrate nitrogen decreased with the increase of irrigation amount, and they did not differ between W1 and W3 levels at N3 level; the vitamin C content increased first and then decreased with the increase of irrigation amount, reaching the maximum in W2 or W3 treatments. Considering the shortage of water resources in the study area, the W3N3 treatment (75% ETC, 150 kg/ha) could be recommended as the optimal drip fertigation strategy. Results showed that the optimal value of sweet pepper (the best confidence intervals of 85%) was achieved at the irrigation water and nitrogen amount of 78.2–80.8% ETC and 164.5–189.5 kg/ha, respectively. This study provides scientific basis for water and nitrogen management of high yield, quality, and benefit planting of facility sweet pepper in Northwest China.

Resistance Analysis of CRISPR/Cas9 Genome-Edited Chili M2 Mutant Lines against Pepper Yellow Leaf Curl Viral Disease

<p>Pepper yellow leaf curl virus (PepYLCV) infection transmitted by silverleaf whitefly (Bemisia tabaci [Gennadius]) can decrease chili pepper yield up to 100%. At this moment, there is no chili pepper variety resistant to PepYLCV available. Genome editing approach through CRISPR/Cas9 is an effort to develop variety resistance to the viral infection. The purpose of this study was to obtain M2 lines developed by CRISPR/Cas9 system on proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) gene for resistance to PepYLCV. A total of four M2 lines (C47-7, L84-2, L84-23, and L120-19) consisting of 60 chili plants were tested for their resistance to PepYLCV. PCR analysis was performed to detect the presence (infection) of the virus. The results showed that a total of 35 plants derived from the four lines were resistant to PepYLCV. They consisted of 7 plants from C47-7 line, 11 plants from L84-2 line, 9 plants from L84-23 line, and 8 plants from L120-19 line. PCR analysis confirmed that the resistant plants obtained from this study were negatively infected by the virus. Since not all tested plants were resistant to virus infection, the PCNA gene allele in these resistant lines were most likely heterozigotes. Sequencing of PCNA gene of the resistant lines is needed to confirm that the resistance phenotypes obtained was due to mutation of the gene. Therefore, further selection needs to be performed to obtain stable and PepYLCV-resistant lines.</p>

Aromatic plants and chili pepper intercropping as a pest management strategy

The cultivation of peppers in northern Brazil has grown recently influenced by the increase in consumption, culinary usefulness, and medicinal features. However, pest insects damage plants and fruits, impairing production. This work investigates the management of pepper pests by intercropping plants that provide multiple ecosystem services, especially conservative biological control of pests. The experiment was carried out at the Federal Institute of Pará, Campus Rural de Marabá, Pará. The experimental design consisted of randomized blocks, with four treatments and five replications. Each plot contained thirty plants. The sampling of arthropods was carried out weekly in the useful portion of each treatment, through direct counting (visual analysis) and tapping plants on a white tray. The average abundance of arthropods in each functional group was calculated over the sampling weeks. We counted the number of fruits and bored fruits per plant to evaluate the effect of treatments on pepper yield. The abundance of pollinators differed significantly among treatments. Intercropping may favor the establishment of natural enemies and reduce the impacts of chemical insecticides.

Application of various extracts on the growth and yield of red pepper (Capsicum annuum) and tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) and its effect on the biochemical content

Application of various extracts on the growth and yield of red pepper (Capsicum annuum) and tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) and its effect on the biochemical content

Effect of Planting Distance on the Mechanical Harvesting of Hot Pepper

Hot peppers are well known for being spicy and also have a high nutrient content. Human resources have formerly been used to harvest hot peppers; however, a high level of musculoskeletal risk to the human workforce has been reported. Therefore, to reduce the risk to farmers and replace the human workforce, the mechanical harvesting of hot pepper and steps to improve the harvesting efficiency of farmers were conducted. To achieve this, the effect of planting distance on the mechanical harvesting of hot peppers was analyzed at three planting distances (30, 40, and 50 cm) with several cultivars. Subsequently, machine-harvested hot peppers were classified into five groups (marketable, damaged, lost, unharvested, and twigged hot pepper), depending on their postharvest status. The average weight ratio of each group was then calculated, after which statistical analyses were conducted. The effect of planting distance on mechanical harvesting was then analyzed by comparing the differences between each group’s average weight ratio and the total weight of hot pepper, which was simultaneously harvested mechanically at each planting distance. Results showed that the average weight ratio of marketable, unharvested, and twigged hot pepper improved as the planting distance increased. However, no effect on the average weight ratio of damaged and lost hot pepper was observed. The highest yield of marketable hot pepper was found at a planting distance of 40 cm, and the average weight ratio to the whole was lower than at 50 cm of planting distance. Thus, the most suitable planting distance for mechanical harvesting was 40 cm.

Transcriptomics Analysis of Heat Stress-Induced Genes in Pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) Seedlings

Pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) is one of the most economically important crops worldwide. Heat stress (HS) can significantly reduce pepper yield and quality. However, changes at a molecular level in response to HS and the subsequent recovery are poorly understood. In this study, 17-03 and H1023 were identified as heat-tolerant and heat-sensitive varieties, respectively. Their leaves’ transcript abundance was quantified using RNA sequencing to elucidate the effect of HS and subsequent recovery on gene expression. A total of 11,633 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified, and the differential expression of 14 randomly selected DEGs was validated using reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction. Functional enrichment analysis revealed that the most enriched pathways were metabolic processes under stress and photosynthesis and light harvesting during HS and after recovery from HS. The most significantly enriched pathways of 17-03 and H1023 were the same under HS, but differed during recovery. Furthermore, we identified 38 heat shock factors (Hsps), 17 HS transcription factors (Hsfs) and 38 NAC (NAM, ATAF1/2, and CUC2), and 35 WRKY proteins that were responsive to HS or recovery. These findings facilitate a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying HS and recovery in different pepper genotypes.

Effects of biochar and fertilizer sources on nitrogen uptake by chilli pepper plants under Mediterranean climate

AbstractThis study determined N uptake by serrano chilli pepper for two years and evaluated the effects of biochar amendment or organic N (org‐N) fertilizer on N use under a Mediterranean climate. A field experiment was conducted using microplots from 2016 to 2017 in California, USA. Treatments included biochar amendment rates [0 (control), 10, 30 and 50 tons (t) ha−1] biochar, all with 100% inorganic N fertilizer (165 kg N ha−1), and org‐N fertilizer applications at 50%, 75% and 100% of the total available N supply. Pepper yield, vegetative biomass, N uptake, ammonia (NH3) volatilization and changes in soil organic carbon (SOC), and nitrate were determined. Pepper yield was highest in the 50% org‐N and lowest in the 50 t ha−1 biochar treatment during the first year. There were no differences in fruit yield among the organic treatments during the second year, and all were higher than that from the control. The 100% org‐N treatment had less NH3 volatilization than all other treatments during the first year. The two‐year results showed that chilli pepper plants sequestered 4.6‒6.1 kg N to produce one ton fresh pepper fruits. During the first year, the 50% org‐N treatment resulted in the highest N productivity or yield with lowest projected N fertilizer application requirements as compared to other treatments although there were no differences among all treatments in the second year. Thus, a combination of inorganic and org‐N fertilizers can be an effective strategy to improve soil N productivity in long‐term management.

The Photosynthetic Characteristics of Different Purple Peppers

The yield of pepper with purple leaves (PF) is low, while the pepper with green leaves (GM) is not resistant to strong light and high temperature. In this study, we analyzed the photosynthesis characteristics and genetic stability of their hybrid progenies using PF(CS3) and GM(SJ11-3) as controls. Based on the decreased purple color and increased green color, the hybrid pepper was divided into five groups: Z1, Z2, Z3, Z4 and Z5. Results showed that as the purple color increased, the anthocyanin content in leaves increased. Simultaneously, we found that PF exhibited higher resistance to strong light and high temperature. Thus, the purple hybrid progenies with higher photosynthetic rate were recommended, as they showed higher yield and better resistance to strong light and high temperature.

Use of fluorescence indices as predictors of crop N status and yield for greenhouse sweet pepper crops

To increase nitrogen (N) use efficiency and reduce water pollution from vegetable production, it is necessary to optimize N management. Fluorescence-based optical sensors are devices that can improve N fertilization through non-destructive field monitoring of crop variables. The aim of this work was to compare the performance of five fluorescence indices (SFR-R, SFR-G, FLAV, NBI-R, and NBI-G) to predict crop variables, as dry matter production, crop N content, crop N uptake, Nitrogen Nutrition Index (NNI), absolute and relative yield, in sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum) crops grown in greenhouse. Fluorescence measurements were periodically made with the Multiplex® 3.6 sensor throughout three cropping cycles subjected to five N application treatments. The performance of fluorescence indices to predict crop variables considered calibration and validation analyses. In general, the five fluorescence indices were strongly related with NNI, crop N content and relative yield. The best performing indices to predict crop N content and NNI at the early stages of the crops (i.e., vegetative and flowering phenological stages) were the SFR indices, both under red (SFR-R) and green (SFR-G) excitation. However, in the final stage of the crop (i.e., harvest stage), the best performing indices were NBI, both under red (NBI-R) and green (NBI-G) excitation, and FLAV. The two SFR indices best predicted relative yield of sweet pepper at early growth stages. Overall, the fluorescence sensor and the fluorescence indices evaluated were able to predict crop variables related to N status in sweet pepper. They have the capacity to be incorporated into best N management practices.