PIMENTÃO E SUA RELAÇÃO QUALITATIVA EM UM CENÁRIO DE ESTRESSE HÍDRICO

Abstract

Currently, water stress is a global problem that can affect the production of vegetables. Thus, studies that simulate a stress scenario for pepper, one of the most produced species in Brazil, should be carried out. In this work, we evaluated the relationship between soil water tension and a resistance inducer in the weight of sweet pepper fruits. Sweet pepper plants were subjected to four soil water tensions close to -15, -25, -35 and -45 kPa with drip irrigation, and three doses of potassium silicate (K2SiO3) (0.0, 0.2% and 0.4%) via foliar application in a greenhouse. The experimental design used was randomized blocks with a split plot in a 3x4 factorial scheme (doses of potassium silicate x soil water tension), totaling 12 treatments with four replications. The stipulated values of soil water tensions ranged from sufficient water supply to the plant to water deficit and intermediate values. Irrigation management was carried out with the aid of soil water retention curves and tensiometers. The average fruit weight was influenced only by soil water tensions, being inversely proportional to the applied stress level