Abstract

SANCHEZ-CHAVEZ, Esteban et al. Effect of salicylic acid on biomass, photosynthetic activity, nutriment content and productivity of jalapeño pepper. Rev. Chapingo Ser.Hortic [online]. 2011, vol.17, n.spe1, pp.63-68. ISSN 2007-4034.

The use of bioregulators is a common horticultural practice to improve crop yield and quality. Currently, salicylic acid (SA) is considered a plant growth bioregulator. The objective of the present work was to study the effect of different dosages of SA on biomass accumulation, pigment concentration, photosynthetic activity, nutrient content and productivity of jalapeño pepper (Capsicum annuum L. cv. Chichimeca). Salicylic acid was applied to the nutrient solution at incremental dosages: 0.025 mM, 0.05 mM, 0.1 mM, 0.2 mM, 0.4 mM and 0.8 mM, plus a control without SA. Our results indicate that SA applied to jalapeño pepper plants significantly augmented the production of leaf, root and total biomass, mainly at dosages of 0.1 and 0.2 mM. Treatments with 0.1 and 0.2 mM of SA also increased jalapeño pepper fruit yield per plant. In addition, photosynthetic activity exhibited a trend similar to that of biomass accumulation and yield per plant; plants treated with 0.1 and 0.2 mM of SA showed maximum photosynthetic activity. With regard to nutrient content, it was observed that at higher biomass accumulation and yield per plant there was a smaller nutrient accumulation, due perhaps to the dilution effect. We conclude that treatments with 0,1 and 0,2 mM of SA play a role of biorregulador of the growth in jalapeño pepper.

Keywords : Capsicum annuum; biorregulators; photosynthesis.

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