Response of bell pepper (Capsicum annuum) to different agro-techniques and NAA application

Abstract

An experiment was conducted during the rainy (kharif) seasons of 2017–18 and 2018–19 at the research farm of Dr. Y S Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry in Nauni, Solan, Himachal Pradesh to study the effects of different planting methods, mulches and the addition of natural organic acids (NAAs) on bell pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) growth and yield. The experiment involved 12 different treatments of 2 planting methods, 3 mulching levels, and 2 levels of NAA in a Randomized Block Design (Factorial) and 3 replications. The yield and its characteristics were shown to be highly impacted by planting methods, mulch material, and NAA levels. In terms of maximum plant height, early blooming, maximum fruit length, fruit width, fruit weight, fruits/plant, fruits/plot, and yield/ha, P1, M2, and N1 each stood out as the best. The raised bed planting technique with silver/black polythene mulch and NAA treatment @15 ppm at 30 and 45 days after planting (P1M2N1) resulted in the highest plant height, days to 50% flowering, fruit length, fruit breadth, fruit weight, number of fruits/plant, yield/plot and yield/ha. According to the findings, in the mid-hill conditions of Himachal Pradesh, the treatment P1M2N1 achieved the highest levels of yield and its attributing features.