Effect of Photoselective Sheet and Grafting Technique on Growth,Yield, and Mineral Composition of Sweet Pepper Plants

ABSTRACT

The effect of two thermal photoselective polyethylene sheets with or without solar heat reflection pigments (SHRP) combined with two transplant types (grafted or un-grafted) were analyzed in sweet pepper plants. The selective transmittance through the photoselective sheet increased the temperature inside the greenhouse compared with the standard sheet. Plants grown under SHRP sheet significantly increased total leaves fresh weight and total fruit yield. When plants were grafted, leaf and stem fresh weight were reduced compared with the ungrafted plants, but total fruit number was increased. Leaf nitrate (NO₃ ^?) concentration was affected by both sheet and transplant type at early stage of crop development but not at later stages. Total-nitrogen (N) was found to be higher in grafted plants, but with a lower microelements concentration. Grafted plants had an increased the number of days to harvest at the second truss, reducing significantly its weight and size. But at the end of the crop cycle, these plants showed higher total marketable yield than the un-grafted plants. Plant grown under SHRP sheet showed higher yield than those plants under standard sheet. Results shows that new cultivation techniques such as use grafted plants and new thermal photoselective sheets should be take into account to increase yield of sweet pepper under semi-arid conditions.