S. Seifi, S.h. Nemati, M. Shoor, B. Abedi,
Volume 3, Issue 3 (Journal of Science and Technology of Greenhouse Culture 2012)
Abstract
In order to investigate the effects of plant density and pruning on yield characteristics and growth of two bell pepper cultivars, a 2×3×2 factorial experiment was conducted in a complete randomized block design with three replications and three factors of plant density (2.5, 3 and 3.5 plants per m2), shoot pruning at two levels (without pruning and training plants with 3 main stems) and two bell pepper cultivars (Tomson and Maratos), in greenhouse of Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran. The results showed that the effect of shoot pruning on yield per m2, yield per plant, fruit weight, number of fruits per plant and plant weight was significant (P<0.01). The effect of cultivar on plant height, shoot diameter and plant weight was significant (P<0.01), and also the amount of these parameters for Tomson cultivar was higher than Maratos cultivar. Plant density had a significant effect on total yield, average fruit weight, plant height, shoot diameter and plant weight. Plant density of 3.5 plants per m2 produced the highest yield (10.80 kg/m2) and 2.5 plants per m2 showed the lowest yield (6.95 kg/m2). Average fruit weight decreased with increasing plant density, such that 2.5 plants per m2 produced the highest fruit weight (109.8 g). Plant weight and shoot diameter decreased with increasing plant density, while plant height increased with higher plant density. Pruning decreased total yield, yield per plant, plant weight and number of fruits per plant, but it increased fruit weight. The results of this experiment showed that pruning of bell pepper plants caused an increase in fruit weight and improved fruit quality.
S. Seifi, B. Souri,
Volume 12, Issue 3 (Journal of Soil and Plant Interactions 2021)
Abstract
A large part of the cultivated soils in western Iran is calcareous. This is effective in reducing the availability of essential nutrients in the soil and their uptake by plants. This study's aim was to investigate the effect of different levels of sulfur on chemical properties of a calcareous soil and tomato yield. The experiment was carried out in a greenhouse using sulfur at five levels of 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4 g/kg soil with the bacterium Thiobacillus thioparus with three replications (15 pots in total). Tomato seeds were sown two weeks after adding sulfur to the potting soil. At the end of the 60-day growth period, leaf samples and tomato crops were harvested to measure nutrient concentrations and determine the yield, respectively. The results showed that the application of sulfur significantly affected soil pH (19.9 to 20.4%), electrical conductivity (18.7 to 21.5%), and the availability of P (16.2 to 21.2%), Cu (16.6 to 22.8%), Zn (16.8 to 21.9%) and Fe (18.2 to 22.5%) in the soil. The concentrations of these elements were also affected in the plant tissue due to soil sulfur application in the range of 17.7 to 21.3% for P, 18.6 to 21.4% for Cu, 16.4 to 22.9% for Zn and 21.5 to 22.6% for Fe, respectively. Plant height was influenced similarly with an increase from 17.2 to 22.7%. In general, the results of this study showed that applying sulfur up to three grams per kilogram of calcareous soil could increase the uptake of nutrient elements by the plants through improving their availability which in turn resulted in the growth and yield increase of tomato.
