ABSTRACT
Grafting sweet pepper is becoming widespread in areas with soil-borne diseases, especially in hot humid regions. Compatibility among four sweet pepper hybrids (Margarita, Rubia R, Magali R and Maximos) and four vigorous rootstocks was evaluated, non-grafted plants being used as controls. Rootstocks were represented by the hybrid Snooker "dedo-de-moça" (lady finger, in Portuguese) pepper cultivar BRS Mari (Capsicum baccatum var. pendulum), the breeding line CNPH 143 and an experimental single hybrid (HSE), besides aforementioned non-grafted plants as control. Evaluation was carried out under greenhouse conditions at Embrapa Vegetables, Brasília, Federal District, Brazil, in a complete randomized block with a 4 x 5 factorial design (sweet pepper hybrids x rootstocks). For estimating compatibility, a Compatibility Index (CI) was proposed, calculated by the marketable productivity ratio between a grafted sweet-pepper hybrid and its non-grafted respective (ICij = Pij / Pi). No significant difference was observed among hybrids (scions) for yield and number of fruits per plant. Hybrid Margarita was superior in average fruit weight and Magali R had the highest CI. Amongst rootstocks, HSE presented a CI= 1.35 and Snooker a CI= 1.21. Productivity using these rootstocks was higher than presented by the non-grafted plants by 35% and 21%, respectively, not differing statistically from each other, but superior to the other combinations. HSE and Snooker had the highest yields and number of fruits per plant. Considering the high CI, HSE may be an interesting rootstock alternative for the sweet pepper productive chain.
Keywords:
Capsicum annuum; Phytophthora capsici; Ralstonia solanacearum; grafting; pepper
