A field study to decipher the role of seed priming and foliar application of plant defence activators on plant growth, disease incidence and yield in bell pepper (Capsicum annuum L.)
摘要
Bell pepper production is often constrained by several diseases such as Cercospora leaf spot, anthracnose, bacterial spot, Phytophthora rot, viral and other infections. Extensive use of chemicals to control plant diseases cause environmental pollution, animal and human health risks. This major issue calls for sustainable alternatives for crop production. In this order, plant defence activators could be a viable option for this but their use in agriculture is limited or not fully explored yet. Therefore, to evaluate the effectiveness of plant defence activators, including salicylic acid (SA), jasmonic acid (JA) and β-aminobutyric acid (BABA) as sole and their combination with potassium nitrate (KNO₃) were used in bell pepper. A field trial was conducted at Dr. Yashwant Singh Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan, during 2019-20, to optimize foliar application protocols besides seed priming before sowing and seedling dip before transplanting with same plant defence activators to enhance plant resistance against biotic and abiotic stresses while promoting sustainable bell pepper production. Results revealed that all the treatments were significantly superior over the control and among all the treatments SA+KNO3 was the best treatment for plant growth and yield attributes, while BABA treatment was the best to manage plant diseases. The findings contribute to the development of eco-friendly/green approach, reducing chemical dependence and supporting sustainable agricultural practices.