RESPONSE OF BELL PEPPER ‘TATASE (CAPSICUM ANNUM L.) TO NITROGEN FERTILIZER APPLICATION IN SOUTH WESTERN NIGERIA RESPONSE OF BELL PEPPER ‘TATASE (CAPSICUM ANNUM L.) TO NITROGEN FERTILIZER APPLICATION IN SOUTH WESTERN NIGERIA

A field trial was carried out on the experimental field of National Horticultural Research Institute(NIHORT), Ibadan (altitude 168m ) during the raining season of 2007(Feb – Aug) to determine the effect of nitrogen fertilizer(Urea) on the growth and yield of Bell Pepper(Capsicum annum L.) ‘Tatase’. The trail involved four levels of nitrogen 0, 40, 80 and 120 kg N ha-1 in form of granular Urea in randomized complete block design with replicates. The Urea fertilizer was applied in two equal but split dozes at 3 and 6 weeks after transplanting (WAT). The measured vegetative parameters were similar but significantly better when plants were treated with 40kgNha-1 to 120kgNha-1 than the control (0kg/ha). Applications of 40kgNha-1 gave the highest number of fruits and yield while the control gave the least yield. Overall results indicated that 40kgNha-1 as the optimum nitrogen fertilizer rate for best performance of Bell Pepper(Capsicum annum L.) in South West Nigeria. The trail will be repeated over the season for conclusive results.