WATER REQUIREMENTS OF GREENHOUSE GROWN PEPPER UNDER DRIP IRRIGATION

The water consumptive use of pepper, hyb. Sonar, grown in unheated greenhouse was determined using tensiometers. The maximum evapotranspiration (ETm), when soil water potential was maintained at values higher than -20 kPa, ranged from 0.5 to 4.0 mm day^-1, with a whole season irrigation requirement corresponding to 348 mm. Water amount equal to 0.85xETm had no effect on plant growth and fruit yield, which was 4.4 kg per plant; with water application of 0.65xETm and 0.40xETm plant growth declined and the total yield was reduced by 26% and 47% respectively. Both fruit number per plant and fruit size were affected by the amount of water applied. The crop ETm in October (at planting) was 0.2 of "A" pan evaporation (Epan) located outside the greenhouse. This value remained constant until February and then increased gradually to 0.7xEpan at the end of the experiment, in May.