Impact of NPK fertilization level and lithovit rate on growth and yield components of hot pepper (Capsicum annuum, L. )‎ plant

Abstract EN

Two field experiments were carried out at Experimental Farm (Ghazala Farm) of Agric.

Fac.

, Zagazig Univ.

, Egypt during the two summer seasons of 2019 and 2020 to study the effect of NPK fertilization levels (0.0, 75, 100 and 125 % of recommended level), lithovit rates (0.0, 1.0, 2.0, 3.0 and 4.0 g/l) and their combination treatments on plant growth and yield components of hot pepper plant cv.

Chillina.

The recommended rate (RR) was 90, 32 and 76 kg/feddan of N, P₂O₅ and K₂O, respectively.

These experiments were set up in a split-plot design with three replicates.

The main plots were occupied by four NPK fertilization levels.

While, the sub plots were entitled to fivelithovit rates.

The combination between the main factor and the sub factor resulted in 20 combination treatments.

The obtained results pointed out that using NPK fertilization at 125% RR significantly increased hot pepper height, number of branches/plant, fresh and dry weight of leaves per plant, root length, fruit length and diameter, number of fruits per plant and fruit yield per plant and per feddan compared to control and the other ones under study.

The highest values in abovementioned parameters with significant differences were recorded when hot pepper plants sprayed with lithovit at 3.0 g/l compared to control and the lowest rates and the highest one under study.

In general, hot pepper plants fertilized with 125% RR of NPK and sprayed with 3.0 g/l lithovit significantly gave the highest values in plant growth and yield components compared to the other combinations under study.