Sweet pepper greenhouse production under different depletion levels in substrate humidity

Abstract

The effect of 3 substrate humidity levels on the growth and yield of 2 sweet pepper hybrids, established under greenhouse conditions, was evaluated. The experiment was held in the industrial greenhouse of the Fabio Baudrit Moreno Experimental Research Station, in La Garita (Alajuela), and the materials evaluated were the hybrids Villaplants Americano (square yellow fruit, bell type) and FBM-9 (triangular red fruit type), both national origin genotypes. The first treatment was to supply water at container capacity (CC) to the plant, while the second and third ones were reducing 15 and 30%, respectively, of the plant original water supply. It was demonstrated that there is no effect due to the amount of water supply on the plant´s growth, although it was observed that hydric- stressed plants were the first to begin the flowering and fruiting phase. In both hybrids, a reduction in the amount of first and second one amount quality fruit and an increasing of fruit rejected as the watering was limited. Blossom-end rot was the main rejection cause due to the water loss, associated with low calcium availability. The highest commercial yield was obtained with the Villaplants Americano hibryd (31,8 ton.ha-1), although without statistical difference between substrates at CC and CC–15%, despite a fruit quality reduction with the later treatment. The same was observed with the FBM-9 hybrid. With the CC–30% treatment, both commercial yield and fruit quality were affected, in both hybrids.