ISHS Acta Horticulturae 729: III Balkan Symposium on Vegetables and Potatoes
THE EFFECT OF MAJOR NUTRIENTS (NPK) ON THE GROWTH RATE OF PEPPER AND EGGPLANT SEEDLINGS |
| Authors: | A. Balliu, G. Sallaku, SH. Kuçi, E. Çota, S. Kaçiu |
| Keywords: | growth characters, relative growth rate (RGR), net assimilation rate (NAR), leaf area ratio (LAR), nutrient solutions, N concentration, NPK ratio |
| Abstract:
The influence of the major nutrient elements; nitrogen, phosphate and potash, and their ratios into the nutrient solutions on the growth rate of pepper and eggplant seedlings were estimated at simultaneous experiments conducted at a plastic greenhouse during October-November 2003. Graded seeds of both species were sown at polystyrene trays filled with vermiculate, one seed each module. Till the first true leafs appeared only pure water was applied. Afterwards, differentiated nutrient solutions were applied based in a split plot design. The nitrogen concentrations, namely 100, 200 and 400 ppm, were considered as main factor, while phosphate and potash were at the following respective ratios (N:P:K); 1:0.4:1.2, 1:0.6:1.8, 1:1.2:2.4. The necessary microelements were also added to the nutrient solutions and equal quantities 20-50 ml per plant were daily supplied. Growth intensity of young pepper and eggplants was strongly depended on the nitrogen concentration of the nutrient solution. In the meantime, the ratio of nitrogen with phosphate and potash doesnt seem to be important for the relative growth rate (RGR) of young seedlings, though up to a certain amount higher concentration provides higher values of growth parameters. Higher values of RGR were achieved due to mainly higher values of leaf area ratio (LAR). The estimated values of net assimilation ratio (NAR) mostly remained unchanged, despite the nitrogen concentration and/or its ratios to phosphate and potash. This means that the increase of RGR of young pepper and eggplants, parallel to the increase of nitrogen concentration in the nutrient solutions is due to its effect on the increase of plant leaf area, while there is no effect on the photosynthetic activity of the crop. | |
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