Pepper Seedlings Quality Submitted to Different Substrates and Types of Trays

Abstract

In the chili crop, substrates are used that provide a high quality of the seedling, which directly reflects the productivity of the plant. To maximize the use of this input is usually used the system of production of seedlings in trays, in this system, the volume of the substrate and its quality are determinants in the quality of the seedling. Thus, the present research had as objective to evaluate pepper seedlings quality submitted to different substrates and types of trays. Five substrates and two types of trays were evaluated, the substrates were S1: Bioplant® commercial substrate (control treatment); S2: Earthworm humus; S3: Solo; S4: 1/2 Soil + 1/2 Húmus of earthworm and S5: 3/4 Soil + 1/4 Humus of earthworm, and the types of trays B1: with 98 cells and B2: with 200 cells, in a completely randomized design, in the 5 x 2 factorial scheme, with four replicates. Regarding the emergence and the emergence speed index, all the alternative substrates (S2, S3, S4 and S5) confer quality and homogeneity of seedlings similar to the control treatment. Regarding the Dickson quality index, the alternative substrates S1, S2, S4 and S5 conditioned the best qualities of seedlings, and the seedlings improved vigor and resistance to adverse factors. Analyzing the characteristics of dry shoot mass and total dry mass, both substrates S2 and S4 presented the best results for tray B1. Thus, the alternative substrates S2, S4 and S5, allied to tray type B1, provided better red pepper quality.