Enhancing growth, productivity, fruit quality and postharvest storability of hot pepper by calcium nitrate and salicylic acid foliar application

Abstract EN

Two-year field experiments were conducted at the Agricultural Research Station, Faculty of Agriculture Alexandria University, during the two successive summer growing seasons of 2016 and 2017.

The main aim was to study the influence of foliar application of calcium nitrate (CaNO₃)₂ at (0, 250, or 500 gl^-1) and salicylic acid (SA) at (0, 0.25 or 0.5 gl^-1) as well as their interactions on growth, yield and postharvest storability of Omega F1 hot pepper plants grown in clay loam soil.

Harvested fruits were used for quality measurements at harvest and postharvest storability parameters after cold storage for 3 weeks at 6±1 ºC and 90±5% RH + 2 days shelf life.

Results revealed that foliar application of 250 gl^-1 (CaNO₃)₂ with 0.25 gl^-1or 0.5 gl^-1 SA improved the vegetative growth characteristics (plant height, number of branches, leaves total chlorophyll contents and dry matter).

Plants treated with 500 gl^-1 (CaNO₃)₂ with 0.25 gl^-1 SA gave the highest significant total yield 17.09 and 16.86 ton.

fed^-1 in 2016 and 2017, respectively.

Moreover, all (CaNO₃)₂ and SA treatments markedly increased fruit quality at harvest and maintained their postharvest quality by decreasing fruit weight loss, shriveling and chilling injury as compared to the control treatment, in both seasons.