Results of the application of a biostimulant on the yield of a pepper cultivar

Abstract

The study evaluated the effect of different doses of a biostimulant (salicylic acid) on yield and fruit quality of the Marcato F1 hybrid pepper. The research was conducted using a randomized complete block design with foliar applications of the biostimulant during the crop growth and fruiting stages. Productive and fruit quality variables were analyzed, including fruit mass, length, diameter, and commercial classification, using inferential statistical analyses to determine crop response. The results showed that pepper response to salicylic acid was dose-dependent and did not follow a linear pattern; higher doses promoted consistent improvements in yield and attributes associated with fruit commercial quality, whereas an intermediate dose induced a less favorable physiological response. Fruit diameter exhibited a more stable variation compared with fruit mass and length, suggesting a lower sensitivity of this parameter to biostimulant application. Fruit weight showed a positive correlation with fruit length, indicating that mass was only partially associated with longitudinal fruit growth. Commercial quality was characterized by a predominance of marketable fruits and a low proportion of discard. Overall, the results demonstrated that the biostimulant evaluated can be considered a viable alternative to improve yield components of the Marcato F1 hybrid pepper.

Keywords:Salicylic Acid, Plant Biostimulants, Cultivar, Yield Components