Enhancing Yield Components and Chemical Constituents of Hot Pepper Plants Grown Under Hydroponic System Using NPK And Fe, Zn and Cu Fertilizers

Abstract

This study was established for evaluating the influence of some macro (NPK) and micro-nutrients (Fe, Zn and Cu) in individual or combination   on yield and fruit nutritional content of hot pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) Super Nar cultivar. to obtain the highest fruits yield characters and the best nutritional values of hot pepper, soilless culture method (Nutrient Film Technique) under open hydroponic conditions in Faculty of Technology and Development Zagazig University,   Egypt, during summer seasons of 2023 and 2024. The current study was simple experiment in randomized complete block design with three replicates. Eight treatments were applied as NPK at 2g/l, Iron (EDDTA), Zinc (EDDTA) and copper  rates each at 2ml/l, NPK  2g/l + iron 2 mll^-1, NPK  2g/l + Zinc (EDDTA) and NPK 2g/l + copper 2 mll^-1 besides the control treatment without any addition. These treatments were added within irrigation water (fertigation) after 30, 45, and 60 days from transplanting date, any fertilizer sources were added three times per season. The obtained results indicated that applied hot pepper plants with NPK 2g/l and Zinc at 2 ml/l gave the highest values of yield components (average weight of fruit, fruits number per plant and total yield per feddan) and fruit quality (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and total soluble sugars contents) in the two consecutive seasons. Generally, it could be recommended that, for enhancing yield and nutritional values of fruits of hot pepper plant cv. Super Nar, it could be added plants with 2g/l of NPK and 2 ml/l of Zinc on the soil under open hydroponic system.