ABSTRACT
Pepper production has great commercial value for ornamental and food use. This makes it necessary to improve cultivation techniques, such as environmental control and low cost substrata. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the emergence parameters and growth of seedlings in tray, as well as plant growth and production in pots of pepper cvs. Tupã Bode Vermelha and Boyra Habanero Vermelha and ornamental pepper cultivars Etna and Pirâmide, in three different types of greenhouse and six types of substrata. Three greenhouses were evaluated: 1) a greenhouse with low-density transparent polyethylene film and reflective aluminized screen under the film; 2) sombrite® mono black filament with 50% shade; and 3) aluminet®, reflective aluminized screen. In these environments we tested six substrata a) ½ cattle manure (E) and ½ humus (H); b) ½E and ½ vermiculite (V); c) ½E and ½ cassava’s leaves (R); d) ⅓E+⅓H+⅓V; e) ⅓E+⅓H+⅓R and f) ¼E+¼H +¼V+¼R. Since no replication of cultivation was carried out, each environment was considered as one experiment. The use of substrata ½E+½R; ⅓E+⅓H+⅓R and ⅓E+⅓H+⅓V allowed greater stem diameter, plant height and Dickson quality index in seedling stage of cultivars Etna, Pirâmide, Tupã and Boyra. The number of fruit was higher with the use of the substrata ½E+½R and ⅓E+⅓H+⅓V. The most suitable environment for pepper production is the greenhouse for all cultivars, followed by sombrite® (especially for cultivars Tupã and Boyra) and aluminet® (Pirâmide).
Keywords:
Capsicum frutescens; cattle manure; cassava’s leaves; humus; vermiculite; productivity.