Comparisons of Ion Balance, Fruit Yield, Water, and Fertilizer Use Efficiencies in Open and Closed Soilless Culture of Paprika (Capsicum annuum L.)

Although closed soilless culture is useful for saving water and fertilizers with minimizing environmental pollution, adequate management of nutrient solutions is still not stabilized in greenhouse cultivation. In order to investigate the problems occurred in closed soilless culture of Paprika (Capsicum annuum L., cv. Fiesta), we compared ion balance, fruit yield, and the water and fertilizer use efficiencies in the closed system with those in the open system. The plants were grown in rockwool culture with a nutrient solution of EC $2.5dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$. After 4 weeks of treatment, individual ratio of $NO{_3}^-$, $K^+$, $Ca^{2+}$, and $Mg^{2+}$ to total ion concentrations ($meq{\cdot}L^{-1}$) decreased from the initial value, especially the biggest decrement was observed in $K^+$, and on the other hand, $SO{_4}^{2-}$, $Cl^-$, and $Na^+$ were accumulated in the closed system. Yields after four-time harvests were 19% higher in the open system than in the closed system. Total volume of water used per unit area ($m^2$) in the open system was 20% higher, but the total water use per fruit was not significantly different between the two systems, while t total fertilizer use per fruit was 78% higher in the closed system. Amount of marketable fruits was not significantly different between the two systems. We concluded that the increase in $K^+$ supply and the replenishment of recycled nutrient solution every four weeks were required for preventing the imbalance or depletion of nutrients in the close soilless culture of paprika plants to get more balanced nutrient composition during whole cultivation period.