Comparison of the effect of nano-chelate iron with fe-chelate on growth and physiological characteristics of two cultivars of Pepper in soilless culture system

In order to determine the best source of iron fertilizer for green pepper under alkaline conditions, the experiment was conducted as factorial with three factors include of iron fertilizer (control, Fe-EDDHA and nano iron chelate), sodium bicarbonate (0 and 10 mM) and two cultivars (Bonanza and Griffaton) with three replications. Plants were treated with bicarbonate 45 days after planting for 2 month. The results indicated that the maximum vegetative parameters (root and shoot fresh and dry weight), reproductive parameters (number of fruits, fruit length, fruit weight and fruit diameter) and physiological paramneters (RWC, PI and Fv/Fm) were found in control treatment. Under the alkaline condition maximum and the minimum chlorophyll a and b and carotenoid contents were obtained in control and Fe-EDDHA treatment, respectively. Sodium bicarbonate significantly decreased the Fe concentration in root and shoot of pepper. According the results obtained from this work, Fe-EDDHA was the best iron fertilizer under the alkaline conditions and nano chelate iron was next in this situation.