YIELD AND QUALITY OF BELL PEPPER FRUITS IRRIGATED WITH MAGNETICALLY TREATED WATER

Abstract

The application of magnetically treated water is a valuable technique for crop irrigation to enhance the yield and quality of agricultural products. This study aims to evaluate the effect of irrigation water depths and the application of water with and without magnetic treatment on the yield and quality of bell pepper fruits in a controlled environment, verifying the effect of magnetically treated water on soil water retention. Two experiments were conducted in the Irrigation Technical Center of the Universidade Estadual de Maringá, Maringá/PR; the first on Summer 2017-2018, and the second on Winter-Spring 2018. A randomized block design with a factorial scheme 3 x 2 with four repetitions was used for the first experiment and a 2 x 2 scheme with six repetitions for the second. The first factor was the water replacement levels (based on the crop evapotranspiration), and the second the irrigation water treatment, with or without magnetic treatment. The yield and number of fruits were determined after six and four harvests in the first and second experiments. Quality characteristics (soluble solids level, pH, and titratable acidity) were evaluated from three fruits of each plant. The data was submitted to the Tukey test (p ≤ 0.05). It was verified that the application of magnetically treated water did not influence yield. However, it increased the levels of soluble solids and pH. To evaluate the effect of applying magnetically treated water on soil retention, 12 pots filled with soil and without plants were used. An increase in the gravimetric soil moisture using magnetically treated water was perceived, demonstrating higher water retention when using the irrigation method.