Effect of different substrates on sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum L. cv. Macvanka) transplants quality in organic farming production

The study was conducted to compare the effect of different substrates: var. 1 manure + soil + send (40:40:20); var. 2 compost + peat (60:40); var. 3 "AMS humus" + compost (60:40); var. 4 "AMS humus" + soil (60:40); and var. 5 lumbri-humus + soil (40:60), on the characteristics and quality of sweet pepper transplants (Capsicum annum L. cv. Macvanka) and correlative relations of some morphological parameters. The investigation was done in the greenhouse at the Faculty of Agriculture, Zemun. The field experiment was carried out on the slightly calcareous chernozem in Zemun polje to evaluate the effects of transplant quality on sweet pepper growth and yield under conditions for organic farming. The different "ecologicarly-sound" substrates had a significant influence on plant height, leaf number, leaf area size and plant biomass. Considerable differences were founded on the variants 2, 3 and 5 regarding average values of investigated characteristics on variants 1 and 4, which resolutely affected sweet pepper yield components and total yield. The strong correlation between biomass and leaf area of transplants (r=0,999**), than biomass and average height (0,965**), and finally between analyzed biomass and number of leaves (r=0,986**) were found. It is suggested that a rapid, nondestructive method for valuable verification of sweet pepper transplant quality was made on the basis of morphometric measurement of terminal fully developed leaf and previously established coefficients for the respective cultivars. The strong correlation between third leaf area and total leaf area of the plants (r=0,988**) was ratified by the experiment.