The effects of mycorrhizal species and different doses of phosphorus on pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) yield and development under field conditions

Mycorrhizae application plays an important role regarding the yield, development and nutrient uptake of pepper plant (Capsicum annuum L.), especially in soils with high phosphorus fixation capacity. The objective of the study was to determine the effect of two mycorrhizal species and three different P doses on pepper growth in an iron oxide and carbonate rich Harran soil. Inan-3363 pepper variety was chosen for the experiment and inoculated with Glomus mosseae and G. etunicatum mycorrhizae species at the seedling and transplanting stages. In the first stage, pepper seeds with about 1000 spores per viol in perlite+peat (1:1, V: V) mixture and without mycorrhizal inoculations were seeded and left to grow. At the second stage the seedlings were transplanted to the experimental plots. In addition to control (0), the plots have received 100 and 200 kg ha-1 P2O5 doses. Both mycorrhizal inoculations had statistically significant positive effect on the pepper yield; however, G. mosseae species caused more pepper yield than G. etunicatum inoculation. Inoculated seedlings resulted in 5.4 and 12.7% yield increase when compared to plots with the 200 kg ha-1 P2O5 doses only. However, yield increases in re-inoculated seedlings (at transplanting stage) were 6 and 20.9% with the 200 kg ha-1 P2O5 dose. The study confirms that the application of mycorrhizae is of great importance to increase the pepper production under field conditions in the region. Plant analyses showed that mycorrhizae inoculation has no statistically significant effect on the amount of plant nutrients