New Zealand Journal of Crop and Horticultural Science abstracts
Nutrient conductivity effects on sweet pepper plants grown using a nutrient
film technique 1. Yield and fruit quality
TESHOME TADESSE
MICHAEL A. NICHOLS+
KEITH J. FISHER
Institute of Natural Resources
College of Sciences
Massey University
Private Bag 11 222
Palmerston North, New Zealand
email: M.Nichols@massey.ac.nz
Abstract Sweet pepper (
Capsicum annuum L.) plants were
grown using Nutrient Film Technique (NFT) system with a nutrient solution of
electrical conductivity (EC) 2 mS cm
-1. Higher conductivity levels
of 4, 6, 8, and 10 mS cm
-1 were achieved by adding concentrated KCl
solution to the basic nutrient solution. Higher ionic strength of the nutrient
solution resulted in smaller sized fruit, reduced fruit dry weights, and
decreased vegetative growth in terms of lower leaf area and specific leaf area
(SLA). It also encouraged accumulation of more assimilates in shoots than
fruits, decreased plant water consumption, leaf [[psi]], and fruit firmness. It
increased leaf stomatal resistance, fruit dry matter content, fruit respiration
and ethylene production, and advanced fruit colour change.
Keywords sweet pepper; dry matter partitioning; electrical
conductivity; quality; respiration; ethylene production
+Corresponding author.
H98042
Received 15 September
1998; accepted 17 May 1999
PDF file of entire paper: medium quality (595K); (scanned from paper original: notes about this process)
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