Effects of Different Levels of Sulphate of Potash (Sop) Fertilizer on Sweet Pepper (Capsicum Anuum L.) Production in Turbat Balochistan

Abstract

The pot experiment was conducted at the green house under three replicated Completely Randomized Design (CRD) at the Research farm Turbat, Balochistan in 2022 to evaluate the different levels of sulphate of potash (SOP) on sweet pepper. The treatments included T₁ = SOP = 0 g/kg (control), T₂ = SOP = 20 g/kg, T₃ = SOP = 40 g/kg and T₄ = SOP = 60 g/kg. It was noted that the growth and fruit yield of sweet pepper were significantly (P<0.05) affected by different levels of sulphate of potash (SOP). Sweet pepper fertilized with T₄ = SOP = 60 g/kg resulted with 44.55 number of leaves plant^-1, 18.19 number of branches plant^-1, 54.44 cm plant height, 51.12 days to 1^st flowering, 9.52 cm fruit length, 2.00 cm fruit diameter, 98.82 number of fruits plant^-1, 2.89 g single fruit weight, 573.57 g fruit yield plant^-1, 78.7 potassium content in soil, 129.8 potassium content in plant, 15.00 sulphate content in soil and 11.52 sulphate content in plant. Similarly, sweet pepper fertilized with T₃ = SOP = 40 g/kg, 38.48 number of leaves plant^-1, 16.72 number of branches plant^-1, 49.50 cm plant height, 48.54 days to 1^st flowering, 9.29 cm fruit length, 1.59 cm fruit diameter, 81.34 number of fruits plant^-1, 2.61 g single fruit weight, 491.37 g fruit yield plant^-1, 66.9 potassium content in soil, 124.4 potassium content in plant 13.62 sulphate content in soil and 9.87 sulphate content in plant. The sweet pepper receiving T₂ = SOP = 20 g/kg, 29.74 number of leaves plant^-1, 15.00 number of branches plant^-1, 43.63 cm plant height, 45.42 days to 1^st flowering, 8.55 cm fruit length, 1.36 cm fruit diameter, 59.40 number of fruits plant^-1, 2.51 g single fruit weight, 408.64 g fruit yield plant^-1, 57.6 potassium content in soil, 120.5 potassium content in plant, 10.82 sulphate content in soil, and 7.49 sulphate content in plant. T₁ = SOP = 0 g/kg (control) resulted with 24.51 number of leaves plant^-1, 12.54 number of branches plant^-1, 39.16 cm plant height, 43.12 days to 1^st flowering, 8.23 cm fruit length, 1.08 cm fruit diameter, 40.25 number of fruits plant^-1, 2.27 g single fruit weight, 353.64 g fruit yield plant^-1, 45.2 potassium content in soil, 110.2 potassium content in plant, 7.47 sulphate content in soil and 5.28 sulphate content in plant. After going through the findings of the present research, it was concluded that the growth and yield of sweet pepper increased simultaneously with increasing sulphate of potash (SOP) levels; and the sweet pepper fertilized with T₄ = SOP = 60 g/kg resulted in highest.