Growth and Yield of Hybrid Chilli in Response to Diverse Nutrient Management Strategies in a Soil-Based Medium

The economic crisis in Sri Lanka has substantially increased the costs of fertilizers and growing media, thereby posing challenges to affordability for farmers. This study aimed to explore alternative approaches to water-soluble fertilizers and soilless growing media for hybrid chilli cultivation in polytunnels. Chilli grown in a soilless medium with Albert’s solution (the current practice) was compared with plants grown in a soil-based medium under inorganic, organic (ONM), and integrated nutrient management (INM) strategies. The experiment was arranged in a completely randomized design with three replicates. Vegetative and reproductive traits of chilli, as well as the pH and electrical conductivity (EC) of the growing media, were evaluated. Although yield differences between the current practice and the ONM and INM methods were not statistically significant (p>0.05), the ONM and INM treatments recorded numerical yield increases of 17% and 15%, respectively. In the soil-based medium, ONM and INM significantly (p<0.05) increased SPAD values and plant height compared to the current practice. Inorganic fertilizers caused a decline in pH, whereas organic fertilizers maintained optimal pH, and INM maintained EC within desirable ranges. Hence, ONM and INM methods in a soil-based medium present alternatives to the current practice. Limitations of the study include variability in polytunnel conditions and potential challenges in generalizing findings across regions and chilli varieties. Overall, this study demonstrates that soil-based nutrient management strategies, particularly ONM and INM, can reduce reliance on costly soilless media and imported fertilizers, supporting more resilient and sustainable chilli production under the prevailing economic and environmental challenges in Sri Lanka.