Response of sweet pepper plants to foliar application of compost tea and dry yeast under soilless conditions

Abstract

Abstract Background Sweet pepper is considered one of the most important vegetable crops cultivated for local consumption and exportation. Under greenhouse conditions, the effects of different rates of yeast and compost tea on vegetative growth, leaves mineral content, fruit yield and quality were studied for two consecutive years 2018/2019 and 2019/2020 under soilless conditions. Nine treatments of compost tea (CT) and or dry yeast (DY) were applied using control (sprayed with distilled water); CT (10L/fed.); CT (20 L/fed.); DY (3 g/L); DY (6 g/L); CT (10L/fed.) + DY (3 g/L); CT (20L/fed.) + DY (3 g/L); CT (10L/fed.) + DY (6 g/L) and CT (20L/fed.) + DY (6 g/L). Results Results showed that the mixture of compost tea and dry yeast at a rate of 20 L./fed. plus 6 g/L, respectively, had significantly increased vegetative growth, fruit physical quality (length, diameter and fresh weight), total yield, leaves mineral content (N, P and K) and fruit nutritional value content (calcium and vitamin C). The maximum return or profit comes from the CT (20 L/fed) + DY (6 g/L) followed by CT (20 L/fed) + DY (3 g/L.) Conclusion It is clear that all treatments enhanced the yield and the fruit physical parameters of the studied plants as well as all treatments are economically feasible including the control treatment. However, looking at the Revenue/Cost ratio (R/C), one can find that the maximum net revenue comes from the mixture of CT (20 L/fed) plus DY (6 g/L) with a net revenue about 192.72 L.E./m2 and R/C ratio of 1.90, followed by CT (20 L/fed) + DY (3 g/L.).