Effect of Secondary Nutrients and Biofertilizers on Growth, Yield and Quality of Chilli (Capsicum annuum L.)

AbstractAn experiment was conducted at the Department of Vegetable Science, College of Horticulture, Mudigere during the year 2022-23. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with eleven treatments and three replications to evaluate growth, yield and quality parameters of chilli. Among the treatments, treatment (T11) which received 75 % RDNPK + CaNO3 @ 0.5 % +MgSO4 @ 0.4 %+ Azospirillum + PSB + KSB significantly recorded maximum plant height (84.02 cm), number of leaves per plant (288.58), plant spread (N-S) 61.58 cm, plant spread (E-W) 57.66 cm, number of primary branches per plant (9.37), number of secondary branches per plant (22.54), total number of branches per plant (31.91), leaf area per plant (8085.43 m2), fresh weight (251.08 g), dry weight(185.20 g), dry matter (175.82 g), Absolute growth rate(1.673 g/plant/day), crop growth rate(6.29 g/m2/day), net assimilation rate(0.0817 g/dm /day), relative growth(0.0309 g/day), quality parameters like highest total chlorophyll content (2.24 mg/g), ascorbic acid content (154.69 mg/100 g) recorded in T11. Significantly recorded maximum fruit length (11.53 cm), fruit diameter (1.82 cm), fruit pericarp thickness (2.49 mm), number of fruits per plant (234.98), average fruit weight (6.42 g), fruit yield per plant (796.1 g), Fruit yield per plot (19.91 kg), Fruit yield (29.50 t/ha) showed the better growth and quality parameters under 75 % RDNPK + CaNO3 @ 0.5 % +MgSO4 @ 0.4 %+ Azospirillum + PSB + KSB.