Effect of Ozonated Fertigation in Pepper Cultivation under Greenhouse Conditions

Abstract

Ozone has a high oxidizing power avoiding the presence of residues, so it is a good candidate for use in organic farming. However, its application in fertigation has been little studied. Two experiments were conducted simultaneously to check the aims of this work. The aim of the first experiment was to study pepper response under the nutrient solution supply and the application of O3 and its interactions, and the aim of the second experiment was to determine the optimal dosage of O3 to be supplied, from the point of view of plant development and nutritional and physiological status in both experiments. We conclude that O3 supply via fertigation increased pepper biomass production. According to the results obtained, we recommend that the optimal dosage of O3 in pepper plants be from 0.18 to 0.36 mg L−1 due to its higher associated biomass production. Under these dosages, pepper plants showed a higher leaf area and higher photosynthetic pigment concentration. Similarly, under these dosages, N, P, and K plant uptake were higher, allowing a higher synthesis of bioassimilates.

Physiological and Nutritional Responses to Ozone Application in Tomato Seedling Plants

“…Regarding N extraction, fertigation with the nutrient solution increased the total nitrogen uptake by the plant with a higher allocation of N in the stem to the detriment of the root and flowers. Similar findings were reported by Colunje et al [34] in pepper seedlings fertigated with nutrient solution, where there was a higher accumulation of N in the stems.…”

“…Similarly, the supply of increasing ozone concentrations (from 0 to 2 mg L −1 ) to the nutrient solution increased pigments concentrations in tomato plants as reported by Tahamolkonan et al [33]. Nevertheless, the decline in leaf proline concentration under rising O 3 was consistent with the results obtained by Colunje et al [34] in pepper grown under similar experimental conditions.…”

“…There was no clear relationship between TPE and rising O 3 concentrations and, in the nutrient partitioning, there was only a clear positive relationship between leaf phosphorus ratio and O 3 concentrations. Similar tendencies have been documented by Colunje et al [34] in pepper seedlings fertigated with nutrient solution.…”

“…Similar to nitrogen extraction, the total phosphorous extracted by tomato plants fertigated with the nutrient solution was greater exhibiting a higher accumulation of P at root level. Different results have been noted by Colunje et al [34] in a trial with pepper plants fertigated with nutrients, since in this case there was a clear accumulation of P in the stems and leaves. Ozone treatments have no impact on the total P extracted by the plant but modified the allocation of P between organs, resulting in an increase in root and flowers to the detriment of the shoot and leaf.…”

Sustainable Strategies Based on Reused Leachates and Hydrogen Peroxide Supply to Fertigate Cordyline fruticosa var. ‘Red Edge’ Plants

“…Leaves showed the opposite behavior to roots because the plants treated with H 2 O 2 had a lower number of leaves and leaf area; nevertheless, García-Jiménez [60] found a higher stem DW in green bean and melon plants subjected to a chemical oxygenate application to the fertigation solution. Colunje et al [61] also found a similar behavior in pepper crops supplied with ozonated fertigation. For this reason, this effect could be related to oxygenated nutrient solution more than to a specific effect of H 2 O 2 .…”