Use of some biostimulants to improve the growth and chemical constituents of sweet pepper

Anotace: The experiment was conducted during two successive seasons 2016 and 2017 on sweet pepper plants to study the effect of foliar application of some natural extracts (fulvic acid at 2, 4 and 6% or algae at 1, 2 and 4 g.L-1) were applied three times along each season (after 2, 4 and 6 weeks of planting). The influence was evaluated through the response of vegetative growth, and some physical and chemical characteristics of sweet pepper fruits. The results obtained showed that the algae extract at 1 g.L-1 in most cases was better than the other spray treatments investigated to improve most fruit characteristics (length, diameter and yield of fruits), vegetative growth, and chemical properties followed by 6% fulvic acid. With regard to organic acids, malic and citric acids are the main organic acids found in sweet pepper. Malic, succinic and glutaric acids were higher in 1 g.L-1 algae extract treatment, but the concentration of citric acid was higher in 6% fulvic acid treatment. Therefore, algae extract and fulvic acid could be safely recommended as a natural biostimulants application for improving most desirable characteristics of sweet pepper grown under the same experimental condition.