EFFECT OF NITROGEN AND POTASSIUM FERTILIZATION ON THE NUTRITIONAL STATUS OF HOT PEPPER (Capsicum annuum L.) PLANTS AND ON SUBSTRATE SALINITY

In the years 2004 and 2005, in an unheated greenhouse, an experiment was carried out with hot pepper ‘Wulkan’ cultivar. The purpose of studies was to determine the effect of nitrogen and potassium fertilization on the salinity of substrate in hot pepper growing and to show the dependence between the content of these elements in the substrate and in the indicator parts of the plant. Fertilization with nitrogen and potassium was differentiated in two levels: N 250 and K 300, and N 350 and K 400 mg·dm-3 substrate. It was found that a higher dose of nitrate and potassium caused an increase of EC in the substrate. A differentiated level of nitrogen fertilization had no effect on the nutritional status of hot pepper plants by this macroelement. On the other hand, potassium content in leaves was slightly higher with a higher fertilization level.