Influence of Watering Regime and Mycorrhizal Inoculation on Growth and Nutrient Uptake of Pepper (Capsicum annuum L.)

Plants of Capsicum annuum were grown in the plastic house. Experimental treatments consisted of combination of two factors: (1) control and inoculation with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) mix corresponding to mix of six fungi: Glomus etunicatum, G. microaggregatum, G. intraradices, G. claroideum, G. mosseae and G. geosporum; and (2) two levels of irrigation (optimum and stress). Economical and morphological parameters (yield, root weight), nutritional characteristic (dry matter, prolin content, chlorophyll and carotenoid content, total antioxidant capacity, nitrates content), and level of root colonization were measured. Plants with the optimal irrigation treatment reached a 28% higher yield in comparison to the stressed treatment. In the stressed treatment yield was highest with AMF inoculation (4.65 kg. m(-2)) compared to the control (3.67 kg. m(-2)), with an increase of 21%. The average rate of colonization ranged from 31% to 45%, and confirmed the mycorrhizal symbiosis process.