Sweet Pepper (Capsicum annuum L) Under Organic Nutrient Management – A Comparative Study of Agronomic and Economic Outcomes

The transition to sustainable agriculture necessitates identifying fertilization strategies that are both ecologically sound and economically viable for farmers. This study provides a comprehensive evaluation of sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum L. ‘Sultan F1’) performance under various organic fertilization regimes compared to conventional inorganic fertilization and a no-fertilizer control. The experiment, conducted under the climatic stress of an El Niño season in Maguindanao, Philippines, was laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design with ten treatments, including Korean Natural Farming (KNF) concoctions, vermicompost-based applications, and their combinations. Results demonstrated that all organic treatments significantly improved plant growth, yield, and postharvest quality over the control. The combination of KNF and vermi-based fertilizers produced the highest marketable yield (9,700 kg/ha), nearly meeting industry standards and suggesting that integrated organic systems can effectively bridge the yield gap. Critically, all organic treatments significantly enhanced postharvest performance, extending storage life and reducing weight loss by up to 16% compared to the inorganic treatment. From an economic standpoint, the KNF-only treatment, utilizing low-cost, on-farm inputs, yielded an exceptional Return on Investment (ROI) of 192%, far surpassing the inorganic fertilizer treatment (113%) and all other organic combinations. This highlights a crucial distinction between maximizing yield and maximizing profitability. These findings provide robust empirical evidence that low-cost organic systems like KNF are not only agronomically effective, particularly in enhancing postharvest quality, but also represent a highly profitable and accessible pathway for smallholder farmers to achieve sustainable and resilient crop production.