Growth of chilli plant (Capsicum annuum L.) treated with combined organic and inorganic fertilizer with Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Abstract

Biofertilizers are highly recommended, and widely explore its potential in agriculture. Combinations of fertilizers were treated on chili (Capsicum annuum L.). An experiment was conducted at Sik, Kedah, to study the growth performance of chili plants by combined application of organic and inorganic fertilizer with biofertilizer. Eleven different fertilization treatments were conducted on Cili Kulai 1033, where Saccharomyces cerevisiae was incorporated as biofertilizer in nine of the treatments. The fertilization treatments were T1 (Control): (No manure + No fertilizer); T2 (NPK[12-12-17] + Poultry Manure [PM]): (5 g + 10 t/ha); T3 (NPK + PM + S. cerevisiae): (2.5 g + 10 t/ha + 1 g/L); T4 (2.5 g + 10 t/ha + 3 g/L); T5 (2.5 g + 10 t/ha + 5 g/L); T6 (3.75 g + 10 t/ha + 1 g/L); T7 (3.75 g + 10 t/ha + 3 g/L); T8 (3.75 g + 10 t/ha + 5 g/L); T9 (5 g + 10 t/ha + 1 g/L); T10 (5 g + 10 t/ha + 3 g/L); and T11 (5 g + 10 t/ha + 5 g/L). It was found that T11 significantly increased the plant height, number of leaves and leaf area of chili. Similarly, T11 gave the highest mean value in terms of plant height at 15, 45, and 75 days after transplanting (DAT) with 7.87, 22.66, and 57.39 cm. Meanwhile, at the same concentration and DAT, the mean value of the leaves number was 5.6, 21.6, and 56.6, respectively. However, T10 showed the maximum leaf area at 75 DAT with 59.40 cm2. Overall, T11 consistently enhanced the chili growth compared to the standard treatment, T2. It suggests that T11 incorporated with S. cerevisiae can be applied as a biofertilizer in chili cultivation.