Comparative Yield of Bell Pepper (capsicum Annuum L.) on Different Soil Series in Ibadan, Southwestern Nigeria

Climatic change and its accompanying adverse effects on the cultivation of crops such as bell pepper - an important fruit vegetable requires adaptable technology strategy at low or no cost to poor resource farmers. Growing bell pepper on soils considered less suitable could be an adaptation strategy to mitigate the effect of climate change on bell pepper production. Field trials were conducted at Ibadan, a derived savannah agro-ecological zone of Nigeria to determine the productivity of Bell Pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) on three different soil series at varying rates of Phosphorus (P) and Potassium (K) fertilizers over three seasons. Phosphorus and Potassium fertilizers were applied at four different rates of 0, 30, 45 and 60 kg P/ha and 0, 15, 30 and 45 kg K/ha respectively on Egbeda, Apomu and Jago soil series. Fertilizer source for P was Single Super Phosphate (SSP) while for K it was Murate of Potash (MOP). There were significant differences (P < 0.05) between the yields of Bell Pepper at different fertilizer rates and between different soil series. In the wet season of 2011, highest Bell Pepper yield of 15.34 t/ha was observed on Apomu soil series while the highest yield of 16.70 t/ha was observed on Egbeda soil series in the wet season of 2012. The highest yield of 15.05 t/ha was found on Apomu soil series in the dry season of 2012 followed by Egbeda (13.34 t/ha) and Jago (8.36 t/ha) soil series respectively. Highest P fertilizer rate for bell pepper on the soils was 45 kg P/ha while for K it was 30 kg K/ ha. The trend of Bell Pepper yield on different soil series were Apomu > Egbeda > Jago, Egbeda > Apomu > Jago and Apomu > Egbeda > Jago in the raining seasons of 2011 and 2012 and dry season of 2012 respectively .