INFLUENCE OF CALCIUM ON SWEET PEPPER TO REDUCE BLOSSOM END ROT

Abstract

A pot experiment was carried out at the Horticulture farm of Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka, Bangladesh during the period from October 2017 to March 2018. Three sweet pepper cultivars; V 1 = Yellow Master F 1 , V 2 = Green California Wonder and V 3 = Red Master F 1 and four calcium levels; C 0 = 0 ppm Ca, C 1 = 50 ppm Ca, C 2 = 100 ppm Ca and C 3 = 150 ppm Ca were considered for the present study. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications. Data on different growth, yield components and yield and also on BER affected fruit of sweet pepper were recorded. Different parameters of the study were significantly influence due to varietal difference, Ca application at different levels and also their combination. In the case of cultivars the highest no. of fruits (3.58 plant ) affected by BER was recorded from V 2 and the lowest no. of fruits (2.50 plant ) affected by BER was recorded from V 1 . In terms of calcium levels,the highest no. of fruits (4.89 plant -1 ) affected by BER was recorded from C 0 and the lowest no. of fruits (1.67 plant -1 ) affected by BER was recorded from C 3 . In combination, the highest no. of fruits (5.67 plant -1 ) affected by BER was recorded from V 2 C 0 and the lowest no. of fruits (1.00 plant -1 ) affected by BER was recorded from V 1 C 3 . So the use of Yellow Master F1 cultivar with 150 ppm calcium plant -1 showed better performance against blossom end rot. -1 -1