Influence of Chemical and Granular Organic Fertilizer with Hormone Mixed Formula (HO) on Yield, Quality of Yield, Cost, and Profit of Chili (Capsicum annuum Linn.) Production

This study was aimed at the development of fertilizer management innovation for improvement of yield, quality of yield, and cost–benefit for chili production. In this research, 4 formulas of new innovation fertilizers called HO fertilizers (chemical and granular organic fertilizer with hormone mixed fertilizer (HO) and one chemical fertilizer (15–15-15) applied at the rate of 50 and 100 kg/rai (0.16 ha) were introduced. The experiment site was located at Moo 9 village, Kaeng Sopha subdistrict, Wang Thong district, Phitsanulok Province, Thailand, during June–September 2018. Data were analyzed with analysis of variance (ANOVA), comparing the difference of mean by DMRT at 95% confidence level. The results of fertilizers analyzed showed that HO group fertilizers contained major nutrients (N-P-K) 10.0–12.7%, while the chemical fertilizer was 15–15-15% and the HO group had a high level of secondary and micronutrients, organic matter with pH 6.5–6.8, which is suitable for plant uptake. The analysis of active ingredients (capsaicin, dihydrocapsaicin, capsaicinoids, and capsaicinoids mg/plant) showed that all HO fertilizers had higher active ingredients than chemical fertilizer and found that T9 (HO-3, 100 kg) was the highest content significantly different from other treatments. The cost and profit analyzed showed that all of HO fertilizers had higher income than chemical fertilizer even applied with 50 or 100 kg/rai. From the results above, T9 (HO-3, 100 kg) was the most influenced fertilizer to yields, yield components, yield quality, and active ingredients of the chili. The T9 (HO-3, 100 kg) method showed the highest cost, but it got the highest yields also. Therefore, T9 (HO-3, 100 kg) was the best method for chili production, its providing contribution margin of 49, 334 Baht per rai (0.06 ha) when the chemical was 17,958 Baht per rai, which means T9 (HO-3, 100 kg) got income above chemical fertilizer (T3, 100 kg) about 2.7 times which amount of 31,376 Baht per rai different.