College of Plant Science & Crop Production

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Browsing College of Plant Science & Crop Production by Author "OBISESAN, AYOMIKUN TOBI"

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    GROWTH AND FRUIT YIELD OFTHREE PEPPER (Capsicum spp.) SPECIES AS INFLUENCED BY WATER STRESS AT DIFFERENT GROWTH STAGE
    (2025-09-12) OBISESAN, AYOMIKUN TOBI
    ABSTRACT Capsicum spp.are highly valued spice that improves the flavor and scent of food.The degree, and timing of water stress determine how pepper reacts to water availability. Screen house experiments were carried out to determine the growth and fruit yield of three pepper species as influenced by water stress at different growth stages at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (Latitude 7025ꞌN; Longitude 3025ꞌE), Ogun state in 2024: First planting was from January to August while second planting was from July to December. Three pepper species: Hot pepper (Capsicum chinense), bell pepper (Capsicum annuum) and chilli pepper (Capsicum frutescens) were subjected to water stress at five different growth stages:Early Vegetative Stressed Stage (EVSS), Late Vegetative Stressed Stage (LVSS),Early Reproductive Stressed Stage (ERSS),Late Reproductive Stressed Stage (LRSS)and No Stress Condition (control). The experimental design was Completely Randomized Design with 45 treatment combinationin three replicates. Data were collected on micro-climate, vegetative and reproductive variables. Data collected were subjected to Analysis of Variance using GENSTAT 12th edition. Treatment means were separated using Least Significant Difference at a 5% probability level. Water stress had no significant effect on the chlorophyll contents and soil temperature ofCapsicum species, but there was differential vegetative growth response. Capsicumchinense was affected by water stress at 4 Weeks After Transplanting (WAT), C annuum was affected at 4 and 12 WAT and C. frutescens at 8 and 12 WAT.Plant height and number of leavesof stressed plant showed significant reduction in values, irrespective of their growth stages. However, upon restoration of water at the EVSS, there was a significant increase in plant height of C.chinense, C. annumand C. frutescens by 112-149, 64-130 and 61-82%, respectively, and number of leaves in C annuumand C. frutescens by 154-384 and 140-257%, respectively. There was also a sharp decline in the number of leaves of C. annum and C. frutescens by 37 and 31% when stressed at ERSS. Number of days to 50% flowering of Capsicum spp. showed differential response to water stress. Flowering was earlier (50 DAT) when C. annuumwas not stressed and LRSS (51 DAT) while flowering was delayed (62-74 DAT) when plants were stressed at LVSS. Harvesting was delayed at the LVSS and LRSS particularly in C. chinense and C. annum with25 and 19% difference. ERSS was observed as the most critical stage for yield loss particularly in C. annum, and C. frutescens inthe first planting, with 42 and 62% decline, respectively, during the fruiting stage. Across all species, yield produced at EVSS was similar relative to that of unstressed plant except with C.chinense during second planting with 45% yield decline. In conclusion, plants stressed during the EVSS produced the optimum growth and fruit yield while plant stressed during the ERSS and LRSS had severe yield reduction. It is therefore recommended that water stress should be minimized, particularly during the ERSS and LRSS to prevent severe yield losses.