Effect of Fertilizer Types and Plant Population on Growth and Yield of Pepper (Capsicum Annum L.)

The main objective of organic farming is create a balance between the interconnected systems of soil organisms, plants, animals and human. Effects of organic, inorganic and plant population on growth and productivity of long cayenne pepper was studied in a field experiment carried out at National Horticultural Research Institute(NIHORT), Ibadan, Nigeria in the wet season of 2009. Three fertilizer types (no fertilizer, organic fertilizer and inorganic fertilizer) was applied to three plant populations (90,000 plants/ha, 75,000 plants/ha and 66,667 plants/ha) in a factorial experiment fitted into Randomized complete Block Design with three replications. Data collected on growth and yield attributes were subjected to Analysis of Variance. Significant means were separated using LSD at 5% level of probability. Fertilizer types significantly affected yield attribute and plant height up till flowering stage, while other growth parameters measured were significantly affected only at the vegetative stage. However, plants with NPK 15:15:15 and those with poultry manure significantly enhanced both pepper growth and yield than plants with no fertilizer.