EFFECTS OF FERTILIZER RATE, APPLICATION TIMING AND PLANT SPACING ON YIELD AND NUTRIENT CONTENT OF BELL PEPPER

Bell pepper (Capsicum annuum var annuum L.), cv Pip, transplants were established at 31 and 46 cm in-rows on bare soil and drip irrigated on a twice weekly schedule. A base rate of fertilizer was applied either in one preplant application or in two (preplant and first flower set) or three (preplant, first flower set, after the midseason harvest) split applications. Additional fertilizer was applied in excess of the base rate on a predetermined schedule or after significant yield decline ('as needed'). Concentrations of 12 elements in leaf and fruit tissues were determined throughout the growing season. The three-split application of the base rate of fertilizer increased total yield. Plants spaced at 46 cm had increased total and marketable yield in one year. Interactions of fertilizer treatment and plant spacing did not affect total yield. In one year when additional fertilizer was applied 'as needed', plants spaced at 31 cm produced more marketable yield than plants spaced at 46 cm. Nutrients in leaves and fruit did not respond to fertilizer treatment or spacing. In leaves and fruit, concentrations of elements increased, decreased, or stayed the same in both years. For leaves, exceptions were Cu, Mn, and N. For fruit, exceptions were Al, Fe, K, and N. A base level application of fertilizer applied preplant was sufficient to support marketable fruit production.