Respuesta morfológica y productiva de plantas de pimiento (Capsicum annuum L.) ante la aplicación foliar de diferentes dosis de silicio.

Abstract

The production of pepper in Ecuador represents an important item in the agricultural sector. The objective of this research was to evaluate the morphological and productive response of pepper plants (Capsicum annuum L.) before the foliar application of different doses of silicon. The research was carried out on the Brihana Victoria farm via Pajonal, in the Province of El Oro. A random block design of 4 treatment and 5 blocks was used. The treatments were T1 (10 g Si), T2 (20 g Si), T3 (40 g Silicon) and T4 (control). The results indicate that for plant height (cm) all treatments presented similar averages. The stem diameter (cm) at 45 days was higher in T3 with 0.7 cm. In the number of leaves, the T1 and T4 treatments were the ones with the highest average number of leaves at 30 and 45 days. The length and width of the leaves (cm) was similar in all treatments. Fruit production was higher in medium and high dose Si treatments (T2 and T3). Finally, the treatment with the highest investment cost is T3 with USD 2.50 / 30 m2. Silicon did influence the productive characteristics of pepper plants and the strengthening of the cell wall of the stem.