Organic and inorganic nutrient sources influeced growth, flowering, fruition, fruit relative water content and yield of pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) cultivars under salinity in coastal region of Cameroon | IJAAR

Fruit relative water content, carotenoid total chlorophyll content, flowering, fruition, growth and yield parameters of pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) cultivars: ‘Granada’, ‘Goliath’ and ‘Nobili’ were evaluated under two level of irrigation water: tap water (control) and tap water + 50mm NaCl, organic and inorganic fertilization in order to determine the field performance, for the improvement of smallholder agriculture in Cameroon. Four fertilizer application rates (0, 3, 6 and 12 t.ha-1) of Water Lettuce (WL) and Poultry Manure (PM) and 100kg/ha of NPK were used in a randomized complete block design experiment with four replications. The results overall indicated that the raising of fertilizer application rate of PM an WL increased significatively (p<0.05) carotenoid content, fruit water content, growth and agronomical parameters and decreased the date of flowering and fruition for all varieties studied compared to the control and NPK fertilizer, and what it regardless of the level of salinity. Application of WL or PM at 12 t ha-1 and NPK significantly increased fruit water content, growth and yield parameters in Granada compared to other cultivars. Irrigation of saline water decreased significantly (p<0.05) growth and yield parameters of all varieties. Significant (p