Effect of automated sensor-driven irrigation and fertigation on green pepper ( Capsicum annuum L.) growth, phenology, quality and production

This research aimed to optimize green pepper cultivation with automated sensor -based irrigation and fertigation, supplemented by roof water harvesting under protected cultivation. The findings demonstrated that employing a sensor -based irrigation regimen at 75 % available soil moisture (ASM) coupled with 125 % of the recommended dose of fertilizer (RDF) significantly improved both the growth and yield characteristics of pepper. This combination notably improved yield attributing parameters as well as total fruit yield (60,089 kg ha - 1 ). Also, the resource use efficiency metrics viz., water use efficiency (16.75 kg m -3 ), energy productivity (0.80 kg MJ -1 ), nutrient use efficiency (79.5 kg kg - 1 ) and benefit -cost ratio of 2.07, indicated superiority. Correlation between yield and variables viz., individual fruit weight ( r = 0.98), number of fruits per plant ( r = 0.96), total dry matter accumulation ( r = 0.96), and fruit volume ( r = 0.94) found positive at 1 % probability, displaying the strongest associations. Growth variables such as dry matter of leaves (R 2 =0.927), individual fruit weight (R 2 =0.922), and fruit volume (R 2 =0.847) at P <= 0.0001 contributed significantly to the yield. Remarkably, during the year 2020, the system collected 774 m 3 of water, satisfying 100 % of the green pepper 's water requirement for two seasons.