EFFECTS OF POTASSIUM FERTILIZER ON GROWTH, CAPSAICIN, AND ASCORBIC ACID CONTENT OF LOCAL AND HYBRID CHILI (Capsicum annum L.)

Potassium plays an important role in plant’s physiological processes, such as photosynthesis, plant reproductive development, and physiological maturity which is connected with crop yield and quality. The aim of the experiment is to determine the best varieties and appropriate potassium doses in improving the yield and quality of chili. The experiment used a factorial randomized completely block format with two factors, i.e. chili varieties (Local and Gada) and potassium (KCl) doses (0, 60, 120, 180 kg ha-1). The result showed that the Gada variety is taller than the local variety, also produced a higher number of fruits per plant. The local variety produced bigger chili fruit and higher productive branches than Gada variety. Application of 120 kg K ha-1 was enough to increase the weight of fruit per plant, a number of fruits per plant, and a number of productive branches in chili. Application of 180 kg K ha-1 in ripe local and Gada fruit resulted from the highest capsaicin content. Unripe fruits of local variety did not produce capsaicin, whereas the highest capsaicin content on unripe Gada fruit was shown in 120 kg K ha-1. The highest ascorbic acid content in the Gada variety resulted from 60 kg K ha-1, meanwhile in local variety was obtained from 120 kg K ha-1.