Deficit Irrigation Affects Growth, Yield, Vitamin C Content, and Irrigation Water Use Efficiency of Hot Pepper Grown in Soilless Culture

Summary

Hot pepper (Capsicum annuum cv. Battle) was grown in a 1:1 v/v sand-to-cotton stalk compost and subjected to four irrigation treatments: 100% of water-holding capacity (control) and 85%, 70%, and 55% of water-holding capacity, which were considered deficit irrigation treatments. All treatments were given to the plants at the first day of transplanting and continued during the whole growing season. Our results demonstrated that deficit irrigation had a negative effect on plant growth and yield. Increasing irrigation deficiency exhibited a reduction in vegetative growth, fruit parameters, and yield and a nonsignificant increase in irrigation water use efficiency and a corresponding reduction in the amount of irrigation water. Vitamin C content in fruit was significantly decreased by deficit