Effect of water deficiency on physiological and chemical properties of pepper grown in greenhouse

Abstract

The cultivar Jalapeno pepper (Capsicum annuum var. annuum) was used in this research. The experimental design was split plot with five replications and four water restriction levels (control, 0%, 25%, 50%) were used. The research was made in a cold plastic greenhouse at Namik Kemal University, Agricultural Faculty, Department of Horticulture. After planting, plants were grown in normal growing conditions (hoeing, watering and fertilization) for a month and water restriction treatments were applied from the second month onwards. The plants development and other parameters were recorded. During the experiment leaf water potential (MPa), leaf relative water content (%), membrane damage index (%), total chlorophyll content (SPAD) and leaf temperature (°C) were measured. Artificial draught stresses made by water restrictions affected the growth and development of plants badly. The normal growth was observed in control (100% water). The plants watered with 50% were affected less than 25% and 0% water treatments. The treatment (25% water) gave noticeable stress symptoms, leaf wilting, reduced growth and development and yield reduction. The treatment (0% water) caused reduced growth, small leaf, wilting, drying, reduced yield and gradually the death of plants. As a result, leaf water potential, leaf relative water content and total chlorophyll content were the highest in 100% water treatment. The lowest leaf damage, membrane damage and leaf temperature were determined in 100% water treatment as well.