Journal of Agricultural Sciences (Jan 2016)
Paprika Pepper Yield and Quality as Affected by Different Irrigation Levels
Abstract
This study was carried out to determine the effects of irrigation levels on yield and quality of paprika pepper under Harran plain conditions of Turkey. Different water stress levels under drip irrigation system were created by applying 125% of cumulative Class-A Pan evaporation CAP125 , 100% CAP100 , 75% CAP75 and 50% CAP50 of cumulative class-A-pan CAP evaporation in every 3 days. Besides, an irrigation treatment with IRSIS Irrigation Scheduling Information System computer program was created and applied as an alternative irrigation program. Three paprika pepper cultivars Ace, King and Queens were tested. Experiments were conducted in randomized blocks split plots design with 3 replications in 2005 at Koruklu Station of GAP Regional Development Administration located in Harran Plain of Şarlıurfa, Turkey. Applied irrigation water amount and ET Evapotranspiration values for IRSIS treatment were 874 mm and 908 mm, respectively. Applied irrigation amount and ET values of CAP125 and CAP50 were between 254-568 mm and 368-602 mm, respectively. The highest yield was obtained from IRSIS treatment with 25.63 t ha-1 and the lowest yield was obtained from CAP50 with 11.72 t ha-1. The yield was significantly affected by cultivar, irrigation and cultivar × irrigation interactions. The average moisture, ASTA American Spice Trade Association , capsaicin, vitamin C and beta-carotene contents were respectively varied between 83.96 – 84.76%, between 225.76–286.22 mg kg-1, between 1404.11–2408.11 mg kg-1 and between 77.88–113.00 mg kg-1. Beta-carotene contents were not affected significantly by the cultivars, irrigations and interactions. The effects of irrigation and interactions on vitamin C and capsaicin were not also significant while the effects of cultivar on vitamin C and capsaicin were significant at P
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