APLICAÇÃO DE SILÍCIO NO CULTIVO DE PIMENTA DEDO-DE-MOÇA SUBMETIDO A DOSES DE HIDROGEL E LÂMINAS DE IRRIGAÇÃO

Abstract

The Ají amarillo chili is a greenery belonging to Solanaceae family, Capsicum genus, widely cultivated in Brazil due to its high market value. Peppers are responsive to irrigation, so that the water deficit or excess can harm the culture development, thus requiring studies on good irrigation management. An experiment was carried out in a protected environment located at the Goiano Federal Institute, Goiás State (GO), Brazil, Urutaí Campus. The seedlings produced were transplanted into pots with a capacity of 12 L when they had from four to six leaves. The experimental design was completely randomized in a 4 x 4 x 2 factorial system with four replicates per treatment. The plants were submitted to four doses of "hydrogel" solution (0, 100, 300, and 700 mL), four irrigation blades (25%, 50%, 75%, and 100%), and presence or absence of potassium silicate. Plant height and diameter were observed for biometric analysis. Significant effects were found in the irrigation blade factor on the variable plant height, highlighting blades of 75% and 100% of the total irrigation required after 30, 90, and 120 days after transplanting (DAT). Checking the plant diameter, the difference between the treatments occurred at 90th and 120th DAT, showing the treatment with a 75% blade, 100 mL hydrogel, and silicon presence. It was found that the highest number of fruits per plant resulted from treatments with a blade of 75% and other factors did not differ individually. The fruit dry mass averages were higher when submitted to 75% blades, and other factors did not show differentiation. The fruit diameter expressed higher values when irrigation levels were used at 100%. The fresh mass and fruit length variables did not show different responses to the blade, hydrogel, and silicon treatments.