Effects of nutrition and irrigation on sweet pepper production in volcanic tuff

Abstract

In this study aimed at increasing sustainability in soilless cultivation, volcanic tuff was used as substrate and the tested plant material was blocky type pepper (cv. 4-Ever F1). Three experimental factors were evaluated: cultivation system (open or closed), nutrient composition (N1, N2, N3, N4) and irrigation frequency (I1, I2, I3, I4). Macro nutrient concentrations of N2, N3 and N4 were 2-, 3- and 4-fold of N1. Concentrations of micronutrients were the same for all treatments. Irrigation was started when indoor solar radiation reached 6, 4, 2 and 1 MJ m–2 in the treatments I1, I2, I3 and I4, respectively. As a sustainable soilless technique, closed system was found to be recommendable by incorporating the treatment N4 + I2 to provide high yield and quality for blocky type pepper production. In the case of an open system, N2 + I4 proved to be the most efficient strategy.