The effect of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus on morphological characters and yield of cayenne pepper (Capsicum frutescens L.)

Abstract

Fluctuations in cayenne pepper (Capsicum frutescens L.) yields are often a contributs to inflation in North Maluku. The addition of Mycorrhiza Arbuscular Fungus (AMF) can optimize the production of C. frutescens to suppress production fluctuations. The study aimed to determine the best dose of AMF for the growth and yield of C. frutescens. The research was conducted from April to October 2020 at AIAT North Maluku greenhouse. The study was arranged using Completely Randomized Design. Five level dosages of AMF were 0.0, 3.0, 6.0, 9.0 and 12.0 g per plant. Each treatment was repeated four times. The results showed that the application of AMF increased plant height, number of leaves, yield, and fruit weight of Capsicum frutescens. AMF treatment at a dosage of 9 g/plant gave the highest yields on the number of fruits (50.39 pcs), fruit weight (36.79 g), root length (89 cm), root wet weight (87.5 g), and infection mycorrhizae (94%). The dosage of AMF 9 g/plant had a significant effect (P<0.05) on the number and weight of C. frutescens fruit, length and weight of wet roots, and the percentage of mycorrhizal infection. The research implication is that the optimal dose of AMF can be a biological stimulating agent to increase plant growth and yield.