Growth and nutrient uptake of pepper plants grown in different substrates as affected by phosphorus levels

摘要

The objective of this work was to study nutrient uptake and dry matter production by pepper, in relation to P concentration in nutrient solution and four growth substrates (sand, rockwool, sawdust and sphagnum peat) as growth medium. Cooper's nutrient solution was used at four concentrations of P (0, 50, 100 and 150 ppm), all the other nutrients remaining constant in all treatments. Increasing the P concentration in the nutrient solution to 150 ppm markedly increased fresh and dry weight on each substrate medium studied. At the 150 ppm P level, fresh and dry weight ranged respectively from 10.53 and 1.55 g/plant on sawdust, to 37.86 and 3.89g/plant on rockwool substrate. The sand substrate yielded 15.9 and 1.89 g/plant for fresh and dry weight, respectively. Nutrient uptake was closely related to the dry matter, since the rockwool substrate gave the highest values in terms of mineral uptake, followed by sand. Data are given for the N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Zn, Mn and Cu content in pepper plants at each treatment.