Enhancing Growth, Yield Components and Chemical Constituents of Chilli (Capsicum annuum L.) Plants by Using Different NPK Fertilization Levels and Nano-Micronutrients Rates

Abstract

The application of Nano micronutrient fertilizers could improve nutrient use efficiency that reduces the dosage of NPK fertilizers. This study aims to find out the best combination of NPK and Nano micronutrients fertilizers on growth, yield and quality of red hot chilli pepper. A field study was conducted on chilli (Capsicum annuum L.) fertilized by different NPK fertilization levels (0.0, 50, 75 and 100% of recommended levels) and sprayed by different Nano micronutrients rates (0.0, 0.25 and 0.50 g/l) during the two summer consecutive seasons of 2017 and 2018 at Agriculture Research. Farm (Ghazala Farm), Faculty of Agriculture., Zagazig University., Egypt, The recommended dosage was 218. N+ 36 P +142 K kg/ha and Nano-micronutrient fertilizer that was used contained (6% Fe, 6% Zn, % B, 5% Mn, 1% Cu and 0.1% Mo). The experimental design was a split-plot arranged in a three replicates. The main plots were assigned for four NPK fertilization levels and sub plot were devoted for three Nano-micronutrients rates. The results pointed out that the vegetative growth significantly increased by NPK fertilization at 100 or 75% RLs as well as Nano-micronutrients at 0.5 g/l rate and in combination compared to control (0NPK, 0 Nano-micronutrients). Yield components and chemical constituents were increased gradually by increased NPK fertilizers levels during the two seasons. The best combination treatment in this connection was 100% RLs of NPK fertilizers combined with 0.5 g/l of Nano-micronutrients compared to the other ones under study that increased the yield and capsaicin by 75% of NPK and 0.5 g/l of Nano than control, respectively.