Respons Morfologi dan Anatomi Kultivar Cabai (Capsicum annuum L) dan Penetapan Tingkat Toleransinya terhadap Defisit Air
Morphological and Anatomical Response of Chili Cultivars (Capsicum annuum L) and Determining Their Tolerance Level to Water Defici
Abstract
Drought stress causes economic losses in chili (Capsicum annuum L.) farming in Indonesia. Identification of drought-tolerant chili cultivars is needed as the first step in developing drought-tolerant chili varieties. The research aims to identify morpho-anatomical changes in several chili cultivars and determine their tolerance level to water deficit using the DSI (Drought Sensitivity Index). The study was accomplished from February to August 2022 at the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Cibinong. The experimental plots were arranged using a nested Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD). The main plot comprised media humidity (80% and 35% field capacity), with subplots consisting of six chili cultivars. The results showed that plants were dormant while flowering time and harvest time were delayed under water deficit conditions, trichome density increased, while other variables decreased. A decrease in vegetative growth and late emergence of flower buds (phenology) preceded a decrease in yield. Chili cv. SSP and Genie were determined to be tolerant to water deficit conditions based on the SSI.
Keywords: drought stress, drought sensitivity index, drought tolerance, phenology