• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.162-166
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• 2006

The objectives of this study were to determine the effect of cultivation time on the incidence of brown fruit stem (BFS) in glasshouse sweet pepper (cv. Special) and to investigate environmental causes of this disorder. The plants transplanted on 31 August (T1) showed more incidence of BFS than those on 24 November (T2) (6.1% vs.2.9%; P<0.01). The BFS symptom began to appear after completion of fruit enlargement, more often around fruit coloring period. Comparing the environmental factors between T1 and T2, with their data collected for 3 weeks around fruit coloring period, the factor that was most likely responsible for BFS incidence was found to be the night-time humidity deficit (HD) ($1.9g{\cdot}m^{-3}\;vs\;2.9g{\cdot}m^{-3}HD$). These results were reconfirmed as T1 was compared to the plants (T3) that were transplanted at a similar time of the following year to T1, but designed to reduce BSF by increasing air HD via heating at night. That is,T3 had much higher night-time HD than T1 ($5.9g{\cdot}m^{-3}\;vs\;1.9g{\cdot}m^{-3}HD$), and showed no incidence of BFS. These results indicated that, to prevent BFS incidence in the winter-harvesting sweet pepper plants, air humidity at night should be controlled low, especially for the fruit coloring period after fruit enlargement period is completed.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.305-310
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• 2010

This study was carried out to investigate the effect of air humidity and water content of medium on the growth and physiological disorder of paprika in summer hydroponics. Treatments were composed of air humidity of control (over 90%) and dehumidification (low 90%) and water content of 80% and 50%. Time domain reflectometry (TDR) sensors and dehumidifier were used in a drip irrigation system and control system of air humidity, respectively. The early growth of paprika was not affected by air humidity but increased by high water content (80%) of medium. Mean fruit weight was reduced at high air humidity and low water content (50%) of medium, but the fruit number per plant and yield were increased at low air humidity. The incidence of brown fruit stem increased with increasing air humidity and water content of medium. Rate of blossom end rot increased in the low water content medium compared with the high water content medium. The nitrogen (N) was higher content in brown fruit stem than normal stem, but calcium (Ca) was lower.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.167-172
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• 2006

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of substrate water content and electrical conductivity (EC) on the incidence of brown fruit stem and blossom end rot in glasshouse sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum cv. Special). Three levels of water content and EC had been treated since the first fruit reached 3cm in diameter: that is, 49 (low), 65 (medium), and 86% (high) for water content, and 2.4 (low), 4.2 (medium) and $6.3dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$(high) for EC. Shoot growth was reduced with decreasing water content, and it was lower in both high and low EC treatments than medium EC treatment. Fruit weight at harvest was greater in both medium and hish water content treatments than low water content treatment (158g vs 146g). High EC reduced fruit weight compared to or low EC treatments. The incidence of brown fruit stem increased with increasing water content and with decreasing EC. The highest incidence was shown in the high water content/low EC treatment (38%), which was considerably higher than 2.4% of the low water content/high EC treatment. Blossom end rot occurred in general in the low water content and/or high EC conditions. These results indicated that substrate water content and EC should be controlled differently according to the growth stage, to reduce the incidence of blossom end rot and brown fruit stem in glasshouse sweet pepper. First, to reduce blossom end rot incidence, water content should be maintained high (86%) and EC low ($2.4dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$) until Sweets after fruit set. Secondly, to reduce brown fruit stem incidence, water content should be maintained low (49%) and EC high ($6.3dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$), especially after completion of fruit growth.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.236-242
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• 2012

This study was carried out to investigate the effect the water content in coir substrates as according to growth stage on the growth and yield of mini-paprika of three varieties 'E 499524' (red color), 'E 499526' (yellow colar) and 'E 499531' (orange colar) in summer hydroponics. Treatments of I, II and III were composed of 55-65-60, 50-60-55 and 45-55-50% in water contents of growth stages, respectively. Time domain reflectometry (TDR) sensors were used in a drip irrigation system. The early growth of mini-paprika was increased by high medium water content of treatment I in all of three varieties. Mean fruit weight was not affected by medium water content, but the fruit number per plant and yield were increased at high medium water content of treatment I. The Yield of treatment I was higher than that of treatment II and III in all of three varieties. The sugar content was increased by low medium water content of treatment in all of three varieties. The incidence of brown-stem fruit, blossom-end rot and sunburn was decreased with increasing water content of medium. Occurred in the low water content of medium. Mineral contents of fruits such as nitrogen (N), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg) etc. were not affected in all of three varieties.