Yield and quality of habanero chili ( Capsicum chinense Jacq.) by effect of nutritional regimen

Abstract

With the purpose of evaluating the effect of ten nutritional regimes in habanero chili cultivated in a hydroponic system under plastic cover, in 2015 a study was carried out from April to September in the experimental field of the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences of the Autonomous University of the State of Morelos. The treatments consisted of three nitrate concentrations in the vegetative stage (10, 12 and 14 me L^-1 ), each with three nitrate:phosphate:sulfate ratios in the flowering stage (14:1.25:4.75, 12:1:7 and 14:1.25:4.75 me L^-1 ) and with three nitrate/potassium ratios in the fruiting stage (14:5, 14:5 and 12:7 me L^-1). The treatments were distributed in a completely randomized design with ten replicates each. The supply of the nutritive solutions was by drip irrigation, with a flow rate of 8 Lh^-1. Eight irrigations were applied daily, with a time of 1 min irrigation -1 at the beginning of the crop development and up to 4 min irrigation^-1 at the fruiting stage. The experimental unit was a black polyethylene container with a capacity of 15.14 L, with red tezontle gravel as a substrate and a plant. The results indicated that, due to the nutritive regime of 14 m L^-1 of NO3 - (vegetative stage), 14: 1.25:4.75 m L^-1 of NO_{3 -} :H₂ PO_{4 -} :SO₄^2- (flowering stage) and 14:5 me L^-1 de NO_{3 -} :K⁺ (fruiting stage), there was an increase in the number of flowers/plant, number of fruits/plant and yield, which was 1054 g plant^-1 in six fruit sections, 33% higher than the yield obtained from the plants they are fed with Steiner solution during the whole crop cycle, while the accumulation of dry matter was also higher by 20.3%.