Effect of nitrogen and pot volume on pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) and eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) seedlings development

The effect of nitrogen concentration and pot volume were studied on morphological traits of pepper and eggplant seedlings using an ebb & flow fertigation system.
Four different nitrogen (N) concentrations (35, 70, 140 and 205 mg L^‑1 N) and pot volumes (35, 45, 60 and 80 mL) were used to investigate their influence on seedlings vegetative development.
Seedlings with developed cotyledons were irrigated with the nutrient solutions for 24 h, and then kept dry for 48-72 h depending on seedlings stage.
Our results showed that seedling height, number of leaves and leaf area were affected by both factors.
The tallest pepper seedlings were obtained at N concentrations of 70 and 205 mg L^‑1 (23.67 and 23.51 cm, respectively), while pot volumes of 45 and 80 mL achieved the best result with both species.
Seedlings grown in 80 mL pots had highest number of leaves regardless of N concentrations.
However, when using N at 140 mg L^‑1, the number of leaves increased regardless of pot volume.
Leaf dry weight and area of both species were increased by increasing N concentration and pot volume.
An increase of pot volume from 35 to 80 mL had positive effect on leaf thickness in both species.
Nitrogen concentration increase and pot volume decrease resulted in an increase of specific leaf area.
Seedlings grown with N at 140 and 205 N mg L^‑1 had the highest chlorophyll concentration index on both species.
Using a N concentration of 140 mg L^‑1 and a pot volume of 80 mL ensured best seedling development in pepper and eggplant.

XXX International Horticultural Congress IHC2018: II International Symposium on Soilless Culture and VIII International Symposium on Seed, Transplant and Stand Establishment of Horticultural Crops

G. Dumičić, M. Cukrov, G. Lemić, K. Žanić, B. Urlić

chlorophyll concentration index, ebb & flow system, leaf area

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2020.1273.46