Maximizing crop yield and economic benefit through water and nitrogen optimization in bell pepper

Abstract

Considering climate change-induced water scarcity and excessive fertilizer use, boosting agricultural productivity has become a worldwide concern, particularly in Qatar's harsh climate. Adopting well-coordinated strategies is essential to improve yield and crop water productivity (WPC). Thus, this research was conducted to assess the impact of varying irrigation regimes (50 %: deficit irrigation and 100 %: full irrigation, denoted as DI and FI) and nitrogen (N) levels (50 %, 70 %, and 100 %, denoted as N1, N2, and N3) on the vegetative growth, yield, WPC, nitrogen use efficiency (NUE), and economic benefit of bell pepper. Our results revealed significant enhancements in vegetative growth, yield, WPC, and NUE across different irrigation levels and N treatments. The most favorable vegetative growth was observed at a 50 % irrigation level and 70 % N rate (TR2). Optimal irrigation at 50 % led to the highest yield of 25.4 t ha−1 with a WPC of 0.30 kg m3, while a nitrogen dose of 70 % resulted in a peak yield of 25.7 t ha−1 with an NUE of 0.37 t ha−1 kg−1 and with the highest economic benefit of production. Moreover, as irrigation and N application decreased, WPC and NUE increased. These findings present valuable insights into reducing water consumption in agricultural practices, especially in water-scarce countries and regions like Qatar. This study highlights the potential for water-saving strategies to promote sustainability in agricultural production.