Interactive Effect of Nutrient Concentration and Container Volume on Flowering, Fruiting, and Nutrient Uptake of Sweet Pepper

Abstract

Flower abortion and low fruit set has long been a problem in sweet pepper (Capsicum annum L.), especially when the¯owers are cross-pollinated. Restrictions of nutrient element supply and root volume affect plant vigor and size. To study the interactive effects of nutrient element supply and container volume on pepper¯owering and fruiting, a complete interactive experiment (363) containing three concentrations of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) at a constant ratio and three volumes of containers were conducted using a hydroponic system in a temperature control-greenhouse during a autumn-winter season. The cultivar of sweet pepper was cv.`Hazera' 1195 and only cross-pollinated¯owers were allowed to set fruits.

Corrections for rooting volume and plant size reveal negative effects of neighbour presence on root allocation in pea

“…Gurevitch et al . ; McConnaughay & Bazzaz ; McConnaughay, Berntson & Bazzaz ; Xu, Wolf & Kafkafi ; Poorter et al . ; but see Markham & Halwas ; Murphy, File & Dudley ) and allocation as proposed by Hess & de Kroon ().…”

The effects of container geometry on water and heat regimes in soilless culture: lettuce as a case study

“…The reduction in nutrient uptake may be the result of a shortage in root assimilates consumed by an enhanced assimilation (Kafkafi 2008). High medium volume, however, decreases the amplitude oscillation of extreme temperatures during the day (Xu et al 2001). Most of the studies dealing with container size and geometry address issues related to the nursery industry.…”

“…Furthermore, the occurrence of "growth abnormalities" such as "blossom end rot" in tomatoes and peppers and "leaf tip burn" in Lettuce (Saure 1998) may increase in container production systems. The volume in which the root can expand may affect plant growth either through plant uptake of water and nutrients or via root and shoot physiology (Bar-Tal 1999;Xu et al 2001;Assouline et al 2012). On the other hand, root restriction in containers offers unique opportunities such as the capability to better control water availability, pH and nutrient concentrations in the root zone.…”

“…They suggested that the disturbance of carbohydrate metabolism in the root is a primary factor responsible for growth inhibition of cucumber roots grown at supra-optimal root temperature. The medium temperature in container production systems affects the uptake of water and nutrients by the roots (Xu et al 2001;Kafkafi 2008). The reduction in nutrient uptake may be the result of a shortage in root assimilates consumed by an enhanced assimilation (Kafkafi 2008).…”

Growing Plants in Soilless Culture: Operational Conclusions

“…There is a limit, however, to the shoot/root ratio, as at a certain point the physiological ability of the root to take up water and nutrients to meet the demands of the shoot becomes a limiting factor. In well-controlled experiments, root restriction has been shown to limit plant growth in various species, as manifested in reductions of such growth parameters as leaf area, leaf number, plant height and biomass production (Cooper, 1972;Richards and Rowe, 1977;Carmi and Heuer, 1981;Carmi and van Staden, 1983;Ruff et al, 1987;Robbins and Pharr, 1988;Peterson and Krizek, 1992;Choi et al, 1997;van Iersel, 1997;Karni et al, 2000;Haver and Schuch, 2001;Xu et al, 2001;Dominguez-Lerena et al, 2006). In many cases, the initial volume in which transplants are grown affects their performance after transplanting (Bar-Tal et al, 1990;di Benedetto and Klasman, 2004;Dominguez-Lerena et al, 2006).…”