Physiological and Productivity Responses in Two Chili Pepper Morphotypes (<i>Capsicum annuum</i> L.) under Different Soil Moisture Contents

The aim of this study was to explore some physiological and productivity responses of two chili pepper morphotypes (<i>Capsicum annum</i> L.) exposed to different soil moisture contents. A randomized block design in a split-plot arrangement with four replicates was used. The large plots...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Aurelio Pedroza-Sandoval, José Rafael Minjares-Fuentes, Ricardo Trejo-Calzada, Isaac Gramillo-Avila
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-01-01
Series:Horticulturae
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/10/1/92
Description
Summary:The aim of this study was to explore some physiological and productivity responses of two chili pepper morphotypes (<i>Capsicum annum</i> L.) exposed to different soil moisture contents. A randomized block design in a split-plot arrangement with four replicates was used. The large plots (32 m long and 3.2 m width) were 25% ± 2 as the optimum soil moisture content (OSMC), and 20% ± 2 as the suboptimum soil moisture content (SSMC); the small plots (16 m long and 3.2 m width) were two chili pepper morphotypes: Jalapeño and Chilaca, respectively. Jalapeño plants showed more stability in relative water content (RWC), photosynthetic activity (µmol CO<sub>2</sub>/m<sup>2</sup>/s), and a relatively low transpiration (mmol H<sub>2</sub>O/m<sup>2</sup>/s) and stomatal conductance (µmol H<sub>2</sub>O/m<sup>2</sup>/s); therefore, it had a higher number of flowers per plant and number of fruits per plant, consequently recording a high fruit production of 3.94 and 2.99 kg/m<sup>2</sup> in OSMC and SSMC, respectively. In contrast, the Chilaca chili showed low stability in water relative content (WRC), photosynthesis, and transpiration, going from OSMC to SSMC, as well as showed a lower yield in SSMC; however, all of that was compensated by its size and weight of the fruit per plant, with a yield of 4.95 kg/m<sup>2</sup> in OSMC. Therefore, the Jalapeño chili pepper could be an option when the irrigation water is limited, and the Chilaca chili pepper when this resource is not limited.
ISSN:2311-7524