مرکز منطقه ای اطلاع رساني علوم و فناوري - The Effects of Combined Pre - Crops - Paste Pepper (Capsicum annum L. cv. Capya) Production on Yield Fruit and Soil Properties Under Long-Term Organic Conditions

Abstract :

This study was conducted in organic certified farm at Ege University Faculty of Agriculture Menemen Farm between 2001 and 2010. Main crops was chosen as Yalova Yağlık 28 Capya pepper, whereas pre-crops were common vetch, red cabbage, lettuce, faba bean, broccoli, celeriac, cauliflower and pea. Inputs were chosen according to organic farming rules and regulations and some quality parameters and yield values were determined in pepper according to proceeding crops for 9 years. Organic matter and plant nutrition elements were determined in soil samples taken after each proceeding plant was grown. According to the findings of this study, total yield of pepper was high (4352 kg da-1), however decreased during the conversion process with vetch at the early years. However, pepper yield increased during organic farming and reached again a similar value (4172 kg da-1) in final years under organic farming conditions. It was notable to point out, that during the course of 9 years, especially vetch, faba bean and pea resulted in higher pepper yields (4352 kg da-1, 3666 kg da-1, and 4172 kg da-1, respectively) as compared to other proceeding crops. The organic matter content of the soil increased from 1.66% - 1.77% in the first years to 3.15% - 3.97%, and total nitrogen content from 0.08% - 0.09% in the first years to 0.19% - 0.21%. Available P and K did not increase regularly, as it was the case for nitrogen, whereas Ca, Mg, Fe, Zn, Cu, and Mn increased in the course of organic growing.