title: [Effects of slow/controlled release fertilizers on the growth and nutrient use efficiency of pepper].
abstract: Pot trails were conducted from 2003 to 2005 to study the effects of slow/controlled release fertilizers on the growth and nutrient use efficiency of pepper. The results indicated that in comparison with conventional splitting fertilization (T1), basal application of polymer-coated controlled release fertilizer (T2) enhanced the single fruit mass and vitamin C concentration, improved the root activity, and increased the fruit yield by 8.4%, but no significant effect was observed on the dissoluble sugar concentration in fruit. NH4MgPO4-coated controlled release fertilizer (T3) increased the dissoluble sugar concentration by 5.67%, but had less effect on single fruit mass and vitamin C concentration. Under the application of T3, the root system had a vigorous growth at early stages but became infirm at later stages, resulting in a lower yield. Comparing with T1, the application of 3 slow release fertilizers increased the dissoluble sugar concentration in fruit, enhanced the root activity, but had less effect on the yield. All test slow/controlled release fertilizers increased the use efficiency of N, P, and K significantly, with an exception for T2 which increased the use efficiency of N and K but decreased that of P. It was demonstrated that an appropriate application of slow/controlled release fertilizers could enhance pepper' s root activity and improve nutrient use efficiency.
authors.affiliation: Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nutrient Cycling and Farmland Conservation, Institute of Soil and Fertilizer Research, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China. tfstshu@yahoo.com.cn
authors.forename: Shuan-Hu
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Fa-Bao
authors.initials: FB
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Xu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Jian-Sheng
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Pei-Zhi
authors.initials: PZ
authors.lastname: Xu
mesh_terms: D000383:Agriculture / Q000379:methods; D018533:Biomass; D002212:Capsicum / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism*; D005308:Fertilizers; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000378:metabolism; D010758:Phosphorus / Q000378:metabolism; D011188:Potassium / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D005308:Fertilizers; D010758:Phosphorus; D009584:Nitrogen; D011188:Potassium