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RESEARCH PRODUCT

Improvement of the nitrogen uptake induced by Ti(IV) supply in nitrogen stressed pepper crops

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The beneficial effect of titanium on plant metabolism can result in a more profitable use of fertilizers on many crops. An experiment was performed in a greenhouse with Capsicum annuum L. cv. Bunejo plants cultivated under different levels of nitrogen fertilization: 100% N — 250 N fertilizer units/ha (NFU); 75% N - 187.5 NFU; 50% N - 125 NFU; 25% N - 62.5 NFU. A third of the plants in each N support remained Ti-untreated and were used as a reference. Each of the other thirds received one and two 2 mg Ti/l, pH 6, leaf spray treatments respectively (35 ml/plant). Biomass production of the Ti-untreated references was only affected by N-supplies of 25%. Ti leaf spray treatments induced a biomass production higher than the corresponding references; the 100% N + Ti and 75% N + Ti treatments both showing the highest production. Plants under 25% N + Ti showed a level of biomass significantly higher than the 100% N without Ti reference. The efficiency index of the N-fertilization on the biomass production in the 25% N + Ti treatment increased to values five times higher than in the 100% N reference. Also, the efficiency index for the fruit yields showed a similar increase. The absolute fruit yield increased by more than 30% for the 25% N + Ti experiment against the 100% N reference (39,902 and 28,669 kg/ha respectively). The highest fruit yield was obtained for the 100% N + Ti treatment showing 60,899 kg/ha (112% of increase against the 100% N reference).