chillies-package of practices

Cultivation Practices of Chillies in A.P 

B.N : Capsicum annum L
Family : Solanaceae

Climate : Chillies are grown in both tropical and sub-tropical regions from sea level to 2000m attitude. It grows well in warm and humid climate and a temperature of 20-25ºC. The crop is killed by freezing temperatures and frost. A warm and humid climate favours growth while warm and dry weather enhances fruit maturity. It is found to be grown successfully as a rainfed crop in areas receiving an annual rainfall of 850-1200mm. Low soil moisture during blossom development and fruit formation causes bud, blossom and fruit drop. Excessive rainfall is detrimental to the crop and leads to poor fruit set, defoliation and rotting of plants. High temperature and dry winds are injurious to plants and lead to flower drop. A day length of 9-10 hrs light stimulates plant growth and increases productivity by 20-24% besides improving the quality of capsicum.
Soil : Chillies are found to grow in a variety of soils provided they are well drained well aerated and rich in organic matter. In ill drained soils, the plants shed their leaves and turn sickly and fruit drop takesplace due to waterlogging condition. It can be grown successfully in sandy loam soil provided adequate irrigation and manuring are carriedout. Black soils are also suitable for rainfed crop. An Ideal soil for chilli is light loamy or sandy loam rich in lime and inorganic matter. Strongly acidic and alkaline soils are not suitable for chilli growing. Chilli can be grown in saline soil but seed germination, vigour of plants are affected by salinity. The optimum soil pH for this crop is 6.0 to 7.0. In acid soil liming will be beneficial.
Field (Tillage) preparation : The field is prepared by giving 4 to 5 ploughings followed by harrowing and planting is done to get fine tilth. Compost or FYM @ 15-20 t/ha should be spread and mixed well in the soil at least 15-20 days before sowing. At the last ploughing Aldrim or Heftaf @ 10-15 kg/ac should be applied to the soil to protect the crop from white ants and other soil pests. In the rainy season ridge & furrow system or raised beds should be made specially in heavy rainfall areas to avoid water stagnation. For irrigated crops ridge and furrows are made. The field can also be divided into small plots for convenience of transplanting / sowing and irrigation.
Seed Rate :
Direct sowing : 1.5 to 2.0 kg seed/ha.
Through seedlings : 800 to 1000 g/ha
Hybrids : 350 – 400 g/ha

Seed Treatment : 150g Trisodium orthophosphate /kg seed to protect from viral diseases. To protect from sapsucking insects – 8.0 g Imidachloprid / kg seed. To protect from seed borne diseases – 3.0 g/kg seed of Captan / Thiran / Mancozeb. Nursery Raising : Well drained, elevated and fertile areas in open sun light is selected for nursery and that should be ploughed to get fine tilth. The nursery bed should be prepared with a size of 6m length, 10m width and 15cm height. Well decomposed FYM/Compost @ 20-25kg/bed is applied before 20-25 days of sowing. About 250 kg N PK (15:15:15) fertilizer mixture should be incorporated along with 5-6g furadon or phorate granules on each bed. The seeds are sown thinly preferably in lines spaced 5cm apart and well decomposed compost in powder form along with fine, friable soil is sprinkled over the seed about 1.0cm thick. Find mulching with paddy straw can be given to prevent excessive moisture loss. The mulch is removed after the seed germination. Drenching of nursery bed with Fytolon (0.25g / lit water) at 15 days intervals can be given against damping off disease specially in the rainy season. The seed germinate in 6-10 days. Seedlings become ready for transplanting in 35-45 days, when they are about 12-15 cm height. Short and thick stemmed seedlings are preferred for better establishment and performance. Time of sowing in nursery: May – June for rainfed Sept – Oct for irrigated crop. Planting : 6 week old seedlings are preferred for transplanting in the mainfield. Time : Kharif – July – Aug Rabi – Oct-Nov Spacing : For rainfed crop : 56x15cm @ one seedlings per hill For irrigated crop: 56x56 (or) 60x60cm (or) 90x60cm @ two seedlings / till Panting can also be done on bunds.

Varieties : Salient Features G-3 Fruits are long, suitable for rainfed conditions yield : 15-18 q/ha under rainfed; 25-30 q/ha under irrigated conditions. G-4 (Bhagya Lakshmi): It is a high yielding varieties of A.P. Plants are tall & dense. Fruits are 8-9 cm long, bright red colour. Capsicum content 0.52 mg / g fruit. Suitable for green and dry chilli. Tolerant to virus. Yield : 40-45q/ha G-5 (Andhra Jyothi) Plants are similar to G-4 Fruits are short and stout, bright red in colour. Suitable for irrigated conditions in Nellore, Chittore, Srikakulam, Vizag dts. Yield : 11-12 Q/ha – rainfed 30-32 q/ha – irrigated conditions. Capsicum content (dry chilli): 0.65 mg//g fruit Sindhur (CA-960: Fruits are long and stout. Suitable for both green and dry chilli. Suitable for irrigated conditions. Early maturity. Less pengent Yield : 45-50 q/ha Kiran (LCA – 200) Fruits are long, suitable for Telangana areas under assured irrigated condition. Yield : 40-45 q/ha. Fairly tolerant to Thrips, Aphids and mites. Aparna (CA – 1068) Fruits are medium size, blunt tips and yellow on ripening. This is a little late var. Suitable for Capsicum extraction.  – withstand drought as well as high moisture content & to some extent salinity. Yield : 12-14 q/ha dry chilli – under rainfed 30-35 q/ha dry chilli – irrigated Bhaskar (LCA-235): Fruit are not long but mole Pungent. Suitable for both rainfed and under irrigated conditions in Andhra Pradesh more tolerant to Virus. Suitable for all districts of A.P. Yield : 55-60 q/ha. Prakash (LCA-206): Fruits are long, used for green and dry chilli, National variety suitable for cultivation both under rainfed & irrigated conditions. Yield : 45-50 q/ha. Lam – 305 (LCA-305) Fruits are long and stout. Suitable for irrigated conditions both for green and dry chilli. Yield : 50-55 q/ha. LCA – 353 Plants are medium height, bushy. Fruits are 7-9cm long, thin, bright red color. Suitable for both green and dry chillies. LCA – 424 Fruits are long (10-12 cm) and stout. Less Pungent. Comes to maturity early compared to Warangal Local variety.

Nutrient Management : Chilli needs a judicious application of manures and fertilizers since it is a long growing season crop. Application of FYM @ 20t/ha or growing a green manure crop and incorporating the same in soil increases yield. For rainfed crop : 60kg N – 40kg P2O5 – 50Kg K2O / ha. The whole of FYM, Phosphorus and half N and K2O should be applied in the last ploughing before transplanting and the rest of N and K2O is applied as top dressing two months after transplanting. For irrigated crop : 100 Kg N – 60kg P2O5 – 75 kg K2O / ha. Entire dose of Phosphorus + Half N and Potash are applied as basal in the last ploughing. The remaining dose of N and Potash applied as top dressing in two equal split doses at one month interval after transplanting. Foliar application of Urea @ 2% is beneficial for this crop when raised under rainfed conditions. Use of growth regulators : Flower and fruit drop is a serious problem in chilli and it depends on high temperature, low soil moisture, shading and light intensity. This can be controlled By foliar spraying of Planofix (NAA – Naphthalene Acetic Acid) @ 20 to 40 ppm (20-40 mg / L) twice with 15 days interval or 2, 4-D (2,4-Dichloro Phenoxy Acetic Acid) @ 2 to 4 ppm at flower bud initiation stage reduces flower drop and increases fruit set and yield. Application of Ethrel or Ethephon @ 300 pp foliar spray increases fruit set and yield. Irrigation : Regular irrigation is an important factor for the successful production of chilli crop. The first irrigation is given at the time of transplanting and the subsequent irrigations are given once in a week or 10 days depending on the weather and soil moisture condition. In light soils irrigation is given at 10-12 days intervals, in black cotton soils at 3 week intervals and in summer at 5 to 6 days interval. After every harvest irrigation is given. Flowering and fruit formation are the critical stages for moisture. Scheduling of irrigation is done at IW / CPE ratio of 0.6

Intercultivation & Weeding : Interculture is necessary to keep the field free from weeds, which apart from robbing the crop nutrients, harbour insects and diseases. Frequent shallow cultivation should be done at regular intervals. Application of weedicides for controlling weeds is found effective. Alachlor (Lasso) 50 E.C @ 2.0 lit / ha as pre-planting spray along with one hand weeding (or) TOK-E-25 @ 2.0 lit/ha with one hand weeding are effective in weed control. In South India, Fluchloralin @ 1.0 L a.i/ha in 500 Lit. of water sprayed on the soil just before panting followed by irrigation controls the weeds. Inter Cropping & Crop rotation : Under rainfed conditions chilli is successfully rotated with jowar, ragi, cotton, groundnut and castor and as an irrigated crop it is grown in rotation with sugarcane, turmeric, beams, maize or with vegetables. Brinjal, tomato and potato are not recommended for rotation. It can also be inter cropped with ginger, cucurbits, okra and onion. In some places chillies are also grown as mixed crop in irrigated conditions. Pests and Disease Management : Insects : 1) Chilli Thrips (Scritothrips dosalis) : Common pest which affect the crop throughout the life cycle. The nymphs and adults infest tender leaves and feed on the sap causing leaf curling. Severe infestation leads to heavy curling of leaves, stunted crop growth and damage of buds and flowers. Thrips also cause transmission of leaf curl virus. Control : 1.Thrips can be effectively controlled by spraying carbaryl @ 3.0g (or) Phosalone @ 3ml or Dimethoate (Rogor – 30EC) or Monocrotophos @ 1.5 ml or Acephate @ 1.5g or Spinosad @ 0.25ml per lit of water. 2.Fipranil 0.3%G @ 8kg/ac applied to soil at 15 and 45 days after transplanting. 3.As a preventive measure – seed treatment is done with Imidachloprid

2. Aphids (Aphis gossypii) : They suck the cell sap from the leaves and petioles. The quality of the produce is spoiled by imparting blackish colour to the calyx and pods. Plant growth stunted, young leaves become clustered. Control : 1.Effectively controlled by spraying the crop with monocrotophos @ 1.5ml (or) methyl demeton @  2.0ml or Acephate @ 1.5g / lit water. 3. Mites (Hemitorsonemus Latus) : The tiny spider like creatines attack chilli shoot and inflorescence, causing malformation and shedding of flowers. Nymphs and adults suck the cell sap and devitalize the plants. Control :  1.Spraying the crop with Kelthane (Dicofol) @ 5.0ml or Sulphur (Water soluble) @ 3.0g / lit of water can control this insect. 2.Synthetic Pyrithroids should not be used. 3.Reduce the use of Nitrogen fertilizers. 4. Fruit / Pod Borers : Spodoptera Liture; S. exigua Helicoverpa armigera The caterpillars eat leaves and later on bores the pods which results in the deterioraction of quality and market price of the produce. Control: 1.Spraying of Acephate @ 1.0g (or) Thiodecarb @ 1.0g (or) chlorpyriphos @ 3.0ml (or) quinolphos @ 2.0ml / lit water. 2.Integrated pest management (IPM) : Should be followed. Control of borers by poision baits. (5kg bran + 500g carbaryl or 500ml Monocrotophos or Chloropyriphos + 500g jaggery mixed with sufficient quantity of water )and made into small balls and broad cost them in the field in the evening time, so that worms come out from the cracks in the night and eat the bait and are killed. 3.To monitor the borers incidence, use 4 to 5 Pheromone traps / acre.

4.Deep ploughing is to be done to expose the insects from the soil. 5.Indescriminate use of pesticides should be stopped. 6.Grow trap crops like castor, marigold in the field. 7.Biological control with NPV (Nuclear polyhedrosis virus ) should be done. For Helicoverpa – use H-NPV ; for spodoptera use S-NPV solution. Diseases : 1.Damping off (Pythium aphanidermatum) : It is a common disease mainly occur in nursery beds. The disease infected seedlings rot at ground level and then the plants fall over ground. The seedlings die in patches. It is most damaging on moist soils with poor drainage due to dampness. Control : 1.Seed bed should be treated with Formalin before sowing the seed. 2.Seeds should be treated with hot water (1/2 an hour at 52ºC) or Cereson or Agrason G.N @ 2.0g /kg seed. 3.In the nursery bed – seedlings are protected by spraying 0.5 to 1.0% Bordeaux mixture or copper oxyhloride (coc) @ 3.0g / lit two times one at germination and second spray one week later. 4.Nursery should be grow in raised beds to avoid water stagnation. 2.Fusarium Wilt : Symptoms are wilting of the plant and upward and inward rolling of leaves. Leaves turn yellow and die. It is a soil borne disease. Control : 1.Grow resistant vars. 2.Drenching the soil with 1% Bordeanx mixture or fytolan @ 3g / lit 3.Seed treatment with Bavistin @ 3g / kg seed.

3. Frog – eye – leaf spot (Cercospora Capsici) : Symptoms are chlorotic lesions, angular to irregular in shape and later turning grayish brown with sporulation at the centre of the spot on leaves. Severely infected leaves drop off prematurely resulting in poor yield. Control : Spray Mancozeb @ 2.5g or Carbendazim @ 1.0g / lit water effectively control the disease. 4. Bacterial leaf spot – (Xanthomonas vesicatoria) :  Cause serious damage to chilli leaves and fruits. Symptoms are small, dark greasy spots on leaf petiole and tender plant parts. Water soaked spots appear on green fruits. In severe cases leaes drop off and causes considerable loss to the crop. Control : 1.Grow resistant vars. (G-4, X-206, G-5) 2.Spray COC @ 3.0g + 0.1g streptocyclin / lit water two times with weekly interval. 5. Antrhacnose & Ripe fruit rot (Collectotrichum capsici) : It is a serious fungal disease of chilli. Symptoms are dark, sun ken spots are formed on fruits and pink colour dots appear in the centre of the sunken spots. The fungus cause ‘Die-back’ of the twigs also, attacks mainly the upper portion of the plants and spreads gradually from top to downward, as a results branches dry up. Moist weather, shade and dew favour the occurance of the disease. Control : 1.Spray captan 2g or Mancozeb 2.5g or COC 3.0g / lit. water at flowering and fruit ripening stage. 2.Seed trt. With captan 3.0g or Mancozeb 3.0g / kg seed before sowing. 3.Removing and burning the affected plats and branches.

6. Powdery Mildew : (Oidiopsis taurica (or) Laveilula taurice)

Symptoms :

Development of Powdery mass on the leaves and rapid defoliation of the plants.

Control:

Spray sulphur (water soluble) 3 g or Dinocap 1.0ml / lit water.


7. Leaf curl virus : Caused by Tobacco virus – 16 or Nicotiana virus – 10, Symptoms are : Curling of leaves small size, shortened internodes, dwarfened plants and assumes withches broom appearance. Flower buds abscise before attaining full size, fruits formed are small and deformed. The disease usually spreads through insect vectors such as thrips and aphids.

Control :

1.No chemicals for virus control.
2.Grow resistant varieties – G-4, LCA-235, LCA – 334.
3.Seed should not be collected from virus affected plants.
4.Remove the affected plants and destroy.
5.Control the vectors by applying phorate or carbofuran granules which indirectly check the disease.
6.Indescriminate use of fertilizers and pesticides should be discouraged.
7.Grow tall crops like jowar, maize around the field.
8.Seed treatment with Tri sodium orthophosphate @ 150g / lit water.

Harvesting :

The stage of maturity at which chillies are picked depends on the type and purpose for which they are grown. Flowering begins 40-60 DAT. First harvesting is done at the green stage to stimulate further flush of flowering and fruitset. Chillies are harvested at red stage for canning prpose. Chillies used for drying are picked at fully ripened red stage and it takes another month for dry chillies. There after ripe fruits are picked at intervals of 1-2 weeks and harvesting contrinues over a period of 3 months with 6-8 pickings depending on season, variety and cultural practices. Generally the yield of fresh green chillies to 3 to 4 times higher than that of dry chillies. 100kg of fresh ripe fruits yields 25-30kg dry chillies depending on the variety.

Yield :

10 to 15 q/ha dry pods – in rainfed conditions.
20-25 q/ha dry pods – in irrigated conditions.

Drying :

Chillies are perishable having 70-80% moisture content but for safe storage, moisture should 10%. The chillies are dried under the sun on cement floor (tarpalene sheets) for a period of 10-15 days depending on weather conditions. Excessive delay in drying resuts in growth of microflora and subsequent loss in quality. Commercially it is dried at about 54ºC for 2 to 3 days. The dried fruits can be transported or stored in gunny bags.

Storage :

Chillies are sold in fresh condition soon after picking. Green chillies may be kept under good condition for about 40 days at 32ºF and 95% R.H. The dried chillies can be stored in dry places or ware houses or stores safely for 5 to 6 months or more when they are well protected from insect pests.Equipment / Implements used at different crop stages

1.Field Preparation

a.Country plough / MB plough – To plough to field to get fine tilth.
b.Harrows : To break the clods exposed after ploughing.
c.To level the field uniformly.

2.Intercultivation :

a.for weeding : Khurpis, row weeders are used to remove the weeds.
3.Plant Protection :

Sprayers :

used for spraying insecticides and fungicides to control pests and diseases. 
4.Harvesting :
Sickles are used to cut the crop.

Drying :

On commercial scale, mechanical driers are used in case of chillies.