ABSTRACT
Semi-hydroponic systems are an alternative for vegetable production, combining inert substrates and nutrient solutions and requiring less water. Bell pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) is a vegetable species of the Solanaceae family that is mainly grown in protected environments, which provide several financial and agronomic advantages for their management. Advancements in research and the need for high-quality productions have significantly contributed to this horticultural crop through the selection of productive cultivars with high economic yields and adapted to favorable conditions. The objective of this study was to evaluate growth, physiological, and production characteristics of colored bell pepper cultivars in a semi-hydroponic system. The experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design, using four colored pepper cultivars (Spinel, Bachata, Fulgor, and Red Jet), five evaluation times (7, 14, 21, 28, and 35 days after transplanting - DAT) for growth variables, and evaluations at two developmental stages (45 and 95 DAT) for physiological variables. Production and post-harvest variables were not evaluated in different times, considering only the cultivar factor, with five replications, each plot consisting of two plants. Chlorophyll a and b, maximum fluorescence, and water use efficiency were greater in bell pepper plants of the cultivar Spinel. The sweetest fruits were those of the cultivar Bachata. The cultivar Fulgor was the most suitable for growth under the studied conditions due to its greater fruit length and diameter and total fruit weight.
Key words:
Capsicum annuum L.; Solanaceae; fertigation
HIGHLIGHTS:
The cultivar Spinel presented greater chlorophyll contents in the semi-hydroponic system.
Bell peppers of the cultivar Fulgor presented greater length, diameter, weight, and pH.
The smallest fruit lengths were found for the cultivars Bachata and Red Jet.
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** - Significant at p ≤ 0.01 by the F test. C1 - Cultivar Spinel, C2 - Cultivar Fulgor, C3 - Cultivar Bachata, C4 - Cultivar Red Jet. Vertical bars represent the standard error of the mean (n = 5)
Bars with the same lowercase letters comparing evaluation stages within each cultivar, and uppercase letters comparing cultivars within each evaluation stages, are not significantly different from each other by the Tukey’s test (p ≤ 0.05). Vertical bars represent the standard error of the mean (n = 5)
Bars with the same lowercase letters comparing evaluation stages within each cultivar, and uppercase letters comparing cultivars within each evaluation stages, are not significantly different from each other by the Tukey’s test (p ≤ 0.05). Vertical bars represent the standard error of the mean (n = 5)
Bars with the same letters are not significantly different from each other by the Tukey’s test (p ≤ 0.05). Vertical bars represent the standard error of the mean (n = 5)