engleski

Effect of natural biostimulants on yield and nutritional quality: an example of sweet yellow pepper plants (Capsicum annuum L.)

Modifications in growing techniques can affect yield and nutritional quality of different cultivated plant species. Owing to high nutritional value, pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) was used as a model plant for investigation of natural biostimulants effect on yield and fruit quality parameters in conditions of reduced fertilization. Positive influence of biostimulant treatment on yield parameters was observed. Overall increase in pigment content of leaves after biostimulants application agrees well with better total and commercial yields of treated pepper cultivars in comparison with their controls. Our results showed that natural biostimulants positively influence vitamin C and total phenolic contents in pepper fruits during hot summer season. The DPPH and ABTS antioxidant activities were significantly higher (P<0.05) in treated plants and strongly correlated with all measured quality parameters except with the total phenolic content. Generally, biostimulants improved antioxidant activity, vitamin C and phenolic content in fruits, as well as higher pigment levels in leaves of treated compared to non-treated pepper plants grown hydroponically. Thus, the application of biostimulants could be considered as a good production strategy for obtaining high yields of nutritionally valuable vegetables with lower impact on the environment.

greenhouse pepper ; natural biostimulants ; phenolic content ; pigments ; vitamin C ; antioxidant activity

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