Enhanced Growth Response in Capsicum annuum L. after the Application of Ceratophyllum Extract and Chelated Nanozinc.

YOUSUF, ASRAA FARIS; ABBASS, JAMAL AHMED

A study was conducted during the 2022 growing season at the Agricultural Research Station, College of Agriculture, University of Kufa, Iraq. It was to determine the response of chili pepper Capsicum annuum to spraying with Ceratophyllum extract at three concentrations of 0, 10, and 20 mL/L and chelated nano-zinc in three concentrations of 0, 1, and 2 g/L. The experiment was conducted in a plastic house in the field under factorial-randomized complete block design in three replicates and three sprays for each factor during the growing period. The study showed that Ceratophyllum extracts enhanced pepper plants' health and increased vegetative growth indicators more efficiently than the control treatment. The Ceratophyllum extract alone at 20 mL/L led to a significant increase in the growth indicators by 4-18% compared to the control treatment. On the other hand, the study found that combining Ceratophyllum at 20 mL/L with Nano-zinc at 2 g/L gave the highest values in growth indicators; plant height 51.50 cm, number of leaves 379.83 leaves/plant, leaf area 3.08 cm², percentage of shoot and root dry matter (29.25 and 26.50%, respectively) and fruit content of chlorophyll 84.26 (mg/100 gFW), with a significant difference from most other treatments, especially the lowest values in the control treatment (sprayed with distilled water). In conclusion, the Ceratophyllum extract could be used to nourish chili pepper plants and possibly be included in fertilizer combinations due to its nutritional properties, unique components, ease of collection, and inexpensive extraction.

IRAQ; CAPSICUM annuum; PEPPERS; PLANT health; CHELATES; PLANT indicators; HOT peppers; LEAF area

Biopesticides International, 2023, Vol 19, Issue 1, p41

0973-483X

Academic Journal

10.59467/BI.2023.19.41