Performance of Chilli Pepper to Integrated Fertilizer Rate and Irrigation Interval in Sudan Savanna

ABSTRACT A plot experiment was conducted at nursery during 2022/2023 dry season at the Teaching and Research farm of Faculty of Agriculture, University of Maiduguri in the Sudan Savannah, Nigeria to determine the performance of chilli pepper to integrated fertilizer rate in Sudan savanna. The treatments consist of irrigation intervals (1, 2 and 3 days) and integrated fertilizer (control, NPK 60:30:30 + PM t/ha and NPK 30:15:15 + PM 7.5t/ha) which was laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) replicated three times. Data collected were plant height, number of leaves, number of branches and number of fruit per plants are subjected to statistical analysis of variance (ANOVA) and the differences between treatments were compared using Duncan Multiple Range Test (DMRT). The result shows that the effect of treatments was significant during all the sampling periods. Pepper irrigated at 3 days’ interval recorded shorter peppers compared to those irrigated at a day interval, at 7 WAT and 10 WAT pepper irrigated at a day interval recorded plants with many branches while those irrigated at 3 days’ interval recorded fewer branches, the effect of irrigation intervals on the number of fruits, fresh fruit weight and the fresh fruit yield showed that each increase in the intervals resulted in significant decrease in the parameters.