Tag Archives: Pepper

Impact of Humic Acid and Seaweed Extract Treatment on Productivity of Pepper (Antakli cultivar)

Raghad Essa1 *, Ghaithaa Wanas 1, Aziza Ajour2, and Marwan Alabi 1

1 Department of Horticulture, Faculty of Agricultural Engineering, University of Aleppo, Aleppo, Syria.
2Dept. of Soil Section, Faculty of Agricultural Engineering, University of Aleppo, Aleppo, Syria

(*Corresponding author: Raghad Essa, Email: raghadessa648@gmail.com).

Received: 19/ 05/ 2025                 Accepted: 21/ 07/ 2025

Abstract: 

The research was conducted in Ain Al-Kroum village, Al-Ghab region, Hama Governorate, during the 2024 agricultural season to study the effect of two concentrations of humic acid (2, 4 g/L) and seaweed extract (1, 2 mL/L) on vegetative growth indicators and productivity per unit area of pepper (Capsicum annuum L., Antakli variety). The experiment included 9 treatments, including the control (0 g/L humic acid + 0 mL/L seaweed extract), with three replicates and 20 plants per treatment, following a split-plot design. The main plots were assigned to humic acid fertilization, while the subplots were assigned to foliar spraying with seaweed extract. The results showed significant improvements in plant growth and productivity when using humic acid, seaweed extract, or their combination. The H2A2 treatment (4 g/L humic acid + 2 mL/L seaweed extract) outperformed all other treatments, recording the highest values for vegetative growth indicators: average plant height of 60.93 cm, number of lateral branches of 8.26 branches/plant, number of leaves of 250.9 leaves/plant, and the highest productivity per unit area of 5.47 kg/m². In contrast, the control (H0A0) recorded the lowest values: 41.31 cm for plant height, 4.06 branches/plant, 195.9 leaves/plant, and 2.68 kg/m² for productivity. The H2 treatment (4 g/L humic acid) achieved the highest individual averages for vegetative growth (57.17 cm, 7.24 branches/plant, 241.1 leaves/plant) and productivity (4.85 kg/m²), while the A2 treatment (2 mL/L seaweed extract) recorded averages of 54.19 cm, 7.24 branches/plant, 232.5 leaves/plant, and 4.73 kg/m². These improvements are attributed to the combined effect of both factors, where humic acid enhances nutrient uptake, and seaweed extract promotes vegetative growth and fruit production through plant hormones and nutrients. 

Keywords: Humic Acid, Pepper, Productivity, Seaweed Extract,Vegetative Growth.

Full paper in Arabic: pdf

Transmission of Tomato Mosaic Virus (ToMV) Through Tomato and Pepper Seeds and The Efficiency of Thrips tabaci  to Transmit Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus (TSWV)

Faiz Ismaeil(1), Amin Amer Haj Kassem(2), Salah Al-Chaabi(1)& Jamal Mando(1)

(1). General Commission for Scientific Agricultural Research (GCSAR), Administration of Plant Protection Research, Douma, P. O. Pox 113, Damascus, Syria.
(2). Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, Aleppo University, Aleppo, Syria.

(Corresponding author: Dr. Faiz Ismaeil: General Commission for Scientific Agricultural Research (GCSAR),Damascus, Syria. E-mail: faizismail@mail.sy).

                      Received: 17 / 07 / 2014                                Accepted: 27 / 11 / 2014

Abstract

Seed transmission of Tomato mosaic virus (ToMV) was studied in 800 seedlings derived from seeds collected from infected tomato and pepper fruits (400 seedlings for each species), as determined by DAS-ELISA test during 2009. The serological test results showed that the rate of virus seed transmission in tomato seedlings was 16.7%, meanwhile, no seed transmission was recorded in pepper tested seeds. Survey results of ToMV in ground seeds of 21 tomato imported hybrids showed that the virus was only detected in two hybrids; meanwhile, the seedlings of all other hybrids were virus-free after planting their seeds. The efficiency of Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) transmission by onion thrips (Thrips tabaci), the most prevalent vector in most tomato and pepper fields in the governorates of Dara’a, Al-Qunaitara and Damascus countryside was studied, and it was found to be around 7.5%. Adult insects carrying the virus were able to transmit it to healthy tomato plants after one day of acquisition feeding on virus infected tomato and pepper plants. Virus disease symptoms (mottling, yellow blotching and leaf curling) appeared on inoculated healthy plants 8 days after inoculation.

Key words: Pepper, seed transmission, tomato, ToMV, TSWV, virus transmission.

Full paper in Arabic:

انتقال فيروس موزاييك البندورة (ToMV) بوساطة بذور البندورة والفليفلة وكفاءة حشرة Thripstabaci في نقل فيروس الذبول المتبقع للبندورة (TSWV)