The Effect of Charcoal and NPK Fertilizer on the Growth of Two Peppers Varieties on the Sandy Loamy Soil in Sinyea, Liberia

Abstract

This research shows the effect of charcoal and NPK fertilizer on the growth of two pepper (Capsicum annum L) Varieties. The treatment levels were: control (no treatment), charcoal (2 tons ha-1), NPK 15:15:15(150 kg ha-1) and charcoal and NPK combination. The experimental plots were 32 in total with 1.5 squares meter each and treatments were replicated 2 times in each block with 4 blocks in total. The Factorial Design was conducted and fitted with Complete Randomized Block Design Method to assigned plots with treatments and pepper varieties. The growth parameters considered were: plant height, number of leaves, number of branches, leaves length, leaves width and plant diameter. The data analyzed indicated that Local pepper performed better than Jalapeno pepper for all treatments. For plant height charcoal plots performed better than control with these means 28 cm, 64 cm and 72 cm for date 1, 2, and 3 respectively (Date 1, 2 and 3 as 30, 60 and 90 days after transplanting respectively). The Local pepper performed better than Jalapeno in growth with these plant height means 31 cm, 86 cm, and 96 cm for date 1, 2, and 3 respectively. Bigger stem diameters were recorded for the Local pepper and even wider leaf. The Local pepper performed better than the Jalapeno pepper at all levels of growth. The combination of charcoal and NPK had the best growth results over all the treatments.