Capsicum cultivation in open field

Capsicum, also known as sweet pepper, bell pepper or Shimla Mirch is one of the popular
vegetable grown throughout the India. The height of the capsicum plant is different for varieties,
but the average height ranges from 30-90 cm. The leaves of the plant are oval in shape and bright
green in colour. The size of the leaf is proportional to the size of the fruit. It is considered that
plants producing small peppers have small leaves. The roots of the plant are shallow and may
extend up to 20- 30 cm deep under the soil. The flowers of the plant are star shaped and white in
colour. The fruit has different shapes like round, oblong or tapered. The skin of the fruit is smooth
and shiny. They are available in many colours like red, yellow, and green.

Ecological requirements:
Capsicum is basically a cool season crop and day temperatures less than 30°C is favourable for
growth and yield. Lower night temperature favours flowering and fruit set. Shading is required
during summer to avoid temperature build up in greenhouses. Optimum temperatures for fruit
setting are between 16- 21°C whereas for good fruit development, night temperatures of 15–17°C
and day temperatures of 24–30°C are required. Capsicums cannot tolerate frost. The fruit may be
sun-scorched during hot weather and fruit will show poor setting and poor colouring when
temperature is above 33°C. It grows well in altitudes of up to 2,000M above sea level with a rainfall
of 800-1200mm per annum. Places having high rainfall and humidity are not suitable for its
cultivation, since this encourages many foliar diseases.

Soil conditions
Well drained sandy loam soils having good percolation is most suitable to grow capsicum. It should
be highly porous and the salinity (EC) of the soil should not be more than 1 µs/cm. The pH of the
soil should range in between 6 to 7.

Selection of cultivars

a. The fruits should have characters such as uniform size and shape preferably four lobes,
fruit weight of >150g, uniform coloring after attaining complete maturity, with a better
shelf life of more than 5 days under ambient conditions.
b. Popularly grown commercial hybrids in India include Indra, Yamuna (Green), Swarna,
Triple star etc.
Nursery raising:

 Good quality seeds are required for producing better seedlings. The seedlings are raised in
pro-trays of 98 cells or cavities. About 16,000 to 20,000 seedlings are required to plant one
acre for which 160-200 gm of seeds is required.
 The pro-trays are filled with sterilized cocopeat @ 300 kg with 5 kg neem cake along with
Azospirillum and phosphobacteria each @ 1 kg. Approximately 1.2 kg of cocopeat is
required for filling one protray.
 Sow the treated seed in protrays @ 1 seed per cell to a depth of ½ cm.
 Cover the seed with cocopeat and keep the trays one above the other and cover with a
polythene sheet till germination starts.
 Seeds germinate in about a week’s time after sowing. The trays are shifted to net house/
polyhouse and lightly watered. After 15 days of sowing, Mono ammonium phosphate
(12:61:0) (3g/L) and 22 days after sowing 19:19:19 (3g/L) solution has to be drenched. The
seedlings in protrays are drenched with COC 3g/L before transplanting. The seedlings will
 be ready for transplanting in 30-35 days. Spray imidacloprid @ 0.2 ml/L and chlorothelonil
@ 1gm/L before transplanting of seedlings. Always add about 0.3 ml/L of wetting agent
per liter of water with each spray of pesticide.

Selection of planting material for capsicum cultivation:

 The planting material should be healthy.

 Age of the seedlings should be 35- 40 days old. Harden the seedlings before
transplanting.
 Height of the seedling should be 16-20 cm
 Plant should possess good rooting system.
 Seedling should have at least 4-6 leaves on the stem at the time of plantation.

Land preparation:
The land should be thoroughly ploughed and soil should be brought to fine tilth by the help
of cultivator and rotavator. Soil should be supplied with well decomposed organic manure
at the rate of 20-25 kg per sqm, sand and sawdust @ 10-20 kg/m². One application is
sufficient to grow three capsicum crops successively.
 Bed preparation and sterilization of soil

 The greenhouse should have raised beds for cultivating capsicum plants. The minimum
dimensions of the bed are 90-100 cm wide, 22 cm high with a walking space of 45 to 50
cm between the beds.
 The beds should be drenched with 4% formaldehyde (@4 L/ m2 of bed) and covered with
black polyethylene mulch sheet for 3 to 5 days. The polythene cover over the beds is
removed and the beds should be raked regularly to remove the formaldehyde fumes trapped
inside. This is a process of fumigation which sterilizes the soil and minimizes the
occurrence of soil borne diseases. Basamid can also be used for soil sterilization.

Application of neem cake and Microbial Bio-control Agents

Fifteen days before transplanting, neem cake has to be enriched with bio agents like Trichoderma
harzianam and Pseudomonas lilacinous. Neem cake of about 200 Kg is powdered and slightly
moistened. Trichoderma harzianam, Pseudomonas lilacinous and Paecilomyces
chilmdosporia each of two kg are mixed thoroughly to the neem cake. The mixture is covered with
wet gunny bags or dry grass and left for 8-10 days. Avoid direct exposure to sunlight and rainfall.
After 10 days, this enriched mixture of neem cake and bio-agent along with 600 kg of neem cake
has to be applied uniformly to the beds for an area of one acre. This is highly useful to reduce the
problem of soil borne pathogens and nematodes. Azospirillum or Azoctobacter or VAM which is
a nitrogen fixing bacteria can also be applied to the growing bed.

Fertilizer application

A basal fertilizer dose of Geo- Green 250 kg/acre, 75 kg/acre urea, 50 kg/acre Di ammonium
phosphate, 25 kg/acre Murate of potash.

OR

Apply 15-15-12 kg NPK (60 kg CAN or 75 kg ammonium sulphate or 32 kg urea + 93 kg single

super phosphate + 20 kg Muriate of potash). Mix well and level the beds properly
Laying of drip line
Place two 16mm inline drip lateral having, emitting points at every 30 cm interval with discharge
rate of 2 ltr/hr or 4 ltr/hr. Run the drip system to check each emitting point for uniform discharge
before covering the beds with polythene mulch.

Mulching
Black polyethylene non-recycled mulch film of 30-100 micron thick, 1.2 m wide and 2670 m/acre
is used to cover the planting beds. Holes of 5 cm diameter are made on the polyethylene film as
per the recommended spacing (45cm x 45cm in zig-zag way). The planting beds are covered with
the film by securing the edges of the sheet firmly in the soil. Mulching practice conserves water,
controls weeds, and reduces infestation of pests and diseases and results in higher yield and good
quality produce.

Transplanting of seedlings
The raised bed of 90 cm can accommodate two rows of seedlings the spacing between the rows in
the bed is 45 cm. Make holes of 5cm diameter (7.5cm diameter if hot sunny day) at a distance of
45cm along the crop row. 12000 seedlings can be accommodated in one acre.
Care should be taken to see that no damage is occurred to roots, while taking out the seedlings
from individual cells of portray. Seedlings are transplanted into holes made in polyethylene mulch
film at a depth of 5 cm. After transplanting, seedlings are drenched with 3 g/L Copper oxychloride
or 3 g/L Captan or 2 g/L Copper hydroxide solution to the base of seedlings at the rate of 25-30
ml per plant. Water the mulched beds daily during afternoon by using hose pipe for a week
continuously is essential to avoid mortality due to heat trapped by mulch sheet.

Gap filling ssould be done at 7th day after transplanting.

Weedicides spray:

Spray Pendimethalin 1.0 kg a.i. /ha or Fluchloralin 1.0 kg a.i./ha as pre-emergence herbicide at 3rd
day after planting.

Training and pruning

The pruning is done after 30 days of transplanting at an interval of 8 to 10 days, resulting in bigger
fruits with better quality and high productivity. The growing point at the top of the plant are
removed. This operation is called topping. This technique is adopted for producing more branches.
After topping, each capsicum plant is trained to retain two, three or four shoots. After 4 months,
pruning is done once in 10 days.

Systems of training:

Two leader system Four leader system

Drip irrigation and Fertigation

Drip irrigation is given to provide 2-4 liters of water per square meter per day depending on the
season. Water soluble fertilizers are given through fertigation for entire crop growth period,
starting from third week after transplanting.
Fertigation schedule (using water soluble fertilizers once in 3 days)
Run the drip irrigation daily for a duration of 20 to 40 minutes depending on the crop stage, season and emitter
discharge.
Schedule fertigation once in 3 days starting from 21 days and ending at 129 days after transplanting for a 5
month duration crop, thus requiring 37 fertigations.
0-20 days: No fertigation

21-36 days: 2.0 kg of 19-19-19/fertigation (6 fertigations)

39-57 days: 3.0 kg of 19-19-19 +1.0 kg KNO3+1.0 kg CaNO3/ fertigation (7 fertigations)

60-129 days: 5.0 kg of 19-19-19 +1.5 kg KNO3 + 2.5 kg CaNO3/fertigation (24 fertigations)

Total : (153 kg 19-all + 43 kg KNO3 + 67kg CaNO3)

Foliar nutrition:
Give foliar sprays @5g/l using foliar spray grade fertilizers containing Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn, B, Cu, Zn three times
starting from 45 days after transplanting at an interval of 15 days
Plant growth regulators

CPA: 4-CPA @ 2000 ppm enhances early flowering (4 days), number of flowers/plant (5%) number of
fruits/plant (35%), fruit setting (26%) and yield (39%).

NAA: NAA @ 25 ppm significantly increased the number of flowers and fruits per plant and fruit set
percentage.

Fruit thinning
When there are too many fruits on the plant, it is necessary to remove some fruits, to promote the
development of remaining fruits. This operation is called as fruit thinning. Fruit thinning is done
when the fruit is of pea size. This practice is normally followed to increase the size of fruit thus by
increasing the quality of production.
Integrated Pests and Diseases Management
Pest Management
1-Gram pod borer/ fruit borer

Natural enemies of gram pod borer: Parasitoids: Trichogramma spp., Tetrastichus spp.,
Chelonus spp., Predators: Lacewing, ladybird beetle, spiders, red ant, dragonfly, robber fly,
reduviid bug, praying mantis, black drongo (King crow), wasp, common mynah etc.
Symptoms: Fruit borers are very active during night. The adults lay eggs on fruits, flowers and
leaves in large number and the nymphs that 14 come out of eggs, feed on fruits and leaves causing
heavy destruction of crops and severely affects the quality of the produce. Whenever night
temperature is low, coupled with cool and high humidity the infestation is increased. Since eggs
are laid in group, the larva also feeds gregariously on leaves at one place, which can be easily
identified and destroyed.

Management:

Cultural control: Use of ovipositional trap crops such as marigold @ 100 plants/acre 1 row of
marigold for every 18 rows of capsicum and collection of larvae from flowers.

Biological control: Release of egg parasitoid Trichogramma pretiosum @ 50,000 adults (in the
form of parasitized card)/acre/week commenced right from the start of flower initiation to till end
of the crop, tie the egg cards on the stick placed throughout the field at 4-5 m apart, in the evening,
a day prior to the emergence of adult.

Chemical control:
 Seed treatment with thiamethoxam 30% FS @ 7 g/Kg seed.
 Spray thiodicarb (1ml/L) or carbaryl (3g/L) or indoxcarb (1ml/L) or chlorofenfur (1.5ml/L)
or fipronil (1ml/L). In addition to the sprays, grownup adults should be subjected to
methomyl baiting*, which is a safe, healthy and effective practice.
 Methomyl baiting procedure: Prepare a mixture of 10 kg paddy husk and 1 kg jaggery
solution and store for 6-8 hrs. Add ½ kg methomyl to the mixture. Small sized balls of
 mixture are made which are spread near the root zone of the plants and also around poly
house/ net house to avoid infestation of fruit borer. It should be applied during night hours,
and the domestic or pet animals should not be allowed to move in and around net/ poly
house overnight.

2- Tobacco caterpillar

Parasitoids: Trichogramma spp., Tetrastichus spp., Chelonus spp., Telenomus spp., Bracon spp
Management:
Biological control:
• Spray NSKE 5 % against eggs and first instar larva.
• Spray Bt var gallariae @ 600-800 g in 400 l of water/acre.
Chemical control:
Spray Novaluron 10 EC (0.65 ml/l) or Novaluron 5.25 EC + Indoxocarb 4.5 SC (1.70 ml/l).

3-Thrips
 Symptoms: Thrips cause upward curling of leaves, sucks sap and reduce leaf growth, plant
growth, yield and market value of produce. It also reduces leaf area and hinders absorption
of nutrients and water by the plants. Increased infestation leads to blackening and drying
of leaves and irregular fruit bearing.
Management:
Cultural control:
• Intercrop with Sesbania grandiflora, to provide barrier which regulate the thrips
population.
• Do not follow chilli and onion mixed crop – both the crops attacked by thrips
• Sprinkle water over the seedlings to check the multiplication of thrips
Biological control: Apply neem cake to the beds @ 100 Kg/acre in two split doses at the
time of planting and 30 days after transplanting
Chemical control:
• Seed treatment with imidacloprid 70% WS @ 400-600 g/100 Kg seed
 Spray Pongamia oil (5-8 ml/L) or Neem seeds kernel extract (NSKE 4%) or Pongamia /
Neem soap developed by IIHR (7gm/L) or fipronil 5 SC (1ml/L) or chloropyriphos (2
ml/L) or acephate (1.5g/L) or Imidacloprid (0.5ml/L).
 Drenching of soil using chloropyriphos (4ml/L) or imidacloprid (0.5ml/L).

4-Aphids

Natural enemies of aphids: Parasitoids: Aphidius colemani, Aphelinus spp. etc.

Predators: Lacewing, ladybird beetle, spiders, syrphid larva, aphid midge etc.
Symptoms: Nymphs and adult aphids suck sap from leaf veins and younger leaves resulting in reduced
plant growth and decrease in yield. After the sap has been used by the insects, it is excreted as
honeydew, which forms the base on which a black fungus grows. This fungus is known as sooty
mould and its presence reduces photosynthesis and discolours affected fruit. Aphids also act as
vectors for transmitting mosaic virus disease.

Management:

Cultural controls

 Aphids can be removed from plants with a jet of water or sprayed with garlic and
chilli sprays. Sprays with horticultural soap will desiccate and suffocate the insects
and horticultural oil will smother the insects but these organic products should not
be used when the weather is above 32°C as plant leaves can burn.
 Aphids are especially attracted to mustard. You can plant these near more valuable
plants as traps for the aphids.

Chemical control

 Spray Pongamia / Neem soap (8-10 g/L) or imidacloprid (0.5ml/L) or thiomethoxam (0.5g/L) or
dimethoate (2ml/L).
 Apply fipronil 5% SC @ 320-400 ml in 200 l of water/acre or oxydemeton methyl 25% EC @ 640
ml in 200-400 l of water/acre or carbofuran 3% CG @ 13320 g/acre.
 Carbosulfan 25% EC @ 320-400 ml in 200-400 l of water/acre or phorate 10% CG @ 4000 g/acre
or quinalphos 25% GEL @ 400 g in 200-400 l of water/acre or quinalphos 25% EC @ 400 ml in
200-400 l of water/acre or quinalphos 1.5% DP @ 8000 g/acre
5- Red spider mite
Symptoms: Young larvae and adults feed on leaves, bud and fruits, suck sap from plant parts
which in turn causes downward curling and crinkling of leaves giving an inverted boat shaped
appearance, elongation of Petiole i.e. rat tail symptom, stunted growth, on fruit scaring is very
common with reduced fruit size. This pest infestation increases with increased temperature coupled
with high humidity.

Management:
Cultural control: Chilli crop bordered by 3-5 two rows of maize as a barrier or guard crop
• If the incidence of mites is low, spray neem seed powder extract 4% at 10 days interval.
Chemical control:
 Spray dimethoate 30% EC @ 396 ml in 200-400 l of water/acre or emamectin
benzoate 5% SG @ 80 g in 200 l of water/acre
 Spray Pongamia oil (5-8 ml/L) or Pongamia / Neem soap (8-10 g/L) or dicofol
(2ml/L) or wettable sulphur 80 WP (2ml/L) or abamectin (0.5ml/Ll) or ecomite or
propargite or chlorophenapyr (1ml/ L) or fenazaquin (1 ml/L).

6-Root nematode
Symptoms: Nematodes are commonly seen in solanaceous crops when grown 3-4 times continuously in the
same field. Initially yellowing of leaves can be observed followed by reduction in leaf size, count and 15
drastic reduction in size of fruits. When infected plant is uprooted and observed, small and big nodes filled
with large number of nematodes nodules can be observed on roots depending on the level of infestation.
Management:
 Go for crop rotation with non-solanaceous crops like marigold, sweet corn and cabbage to avoid
nematode.
 Bio-pesticides enriched Neem cake (as explained earlier) is to be applied @ 800 kg/ acre 4-5
days before transplanting to the beds.
 Apply carbofuran (furadan) granules @ 20kg /acre at the time of planting. Keep a close watch
on nematode infestation of the plants, particularly in 2nd and 3rd crop.
 The insecticides should always be mixed with spreader or sticker while spraying. The plants
from top to bottom should come in contact with spray for better result and care should be taken
to compulsorily cover the entire body with full clothes, mask, gloves and aprons while spraying.
7-Gallmidge:

Symptoms: Maggots feed on the ovary of the flower bud, flower and tender fruits. Affected bud remains
unopened, while the affected flower dries and drops. Severe flower and fruit drop. Affected fruits do not
develop. Reduction in yield, fruit size, seed number and production of malformed fruits.

Management: Spray PNSPE (40 g/l) during flower bud stage and repeat at 7-10 days interval

8- Cut worm:

Symptoms: Cutworms are the larvae of several species of night-flying moths. Cutworms feed at night and
will not generally be observed on plants or on the soil surface during the day.
Management:
Adopt poison baiting: Mix rice bran (10-12 kg/acre) with jaggery (gur) or molasses (2 kg) in the morning.
Allow it to ferment till evening. In the evening, mix this with an insecticide like methomyl or thiodicarb (250
g) and broadcast in main plot. Cutworms get attracted, feed on the fermented poison bait and get killed. Baiting
has to be repeated 2 or 3 times more if the incidence of the cut worm or armyworm is high.

Disease Management
1- Damping off
Symptoms: Infection takes place at the base of the young seedlings just above the ground level
which leads to wilting and 16 later death of seedlings. Any damage caused to seedlings while
transplanting can also lead to damping off or seedling wilt besides fresh infection in main field or
infection that is carried from nursery.

Management:

Cultural control:

• Excessive watering and poorly drained areas of field should be avoided

• Use raised beds: More than 15 cm height is better for water drainage.

• Raise seedlings in pro-trays/plug trays.

Chemical control:

 Seed treatment with captan 75 WS @ 25-30 g/Kg seed • Soil drenching with captan 75%
WP @ 1000 g in 400 l of water/acre.
 Drench seedlings with Captan 50 WP (2.0 g/l) or Copper oxychloride 50 WP (2.0 g/l) or
copper hydroxide (2.0 g/l) in nursery stage (15 days after sowing) and once before
transplanting and once again two weeks after transplanting.

2- Anthracnose
Management
Cultural control:
• Production of pathogen-free planting materials is the key control measure used to manage the disease.
• Transplants should be kept clean by controlling weeds and solanaceous volunteer plants in the vicinity
of the transplants
• Stagnation of water should not be allowed in nursery beds and fields in order to avoid fungal infection.
Chemical control:
 Spray Carbendizim (1.0g/l) or Thiophanate methyl (1.0g/l) or Tricyclozole (0.6g/l) or
comination of Tricyclozole +Mancozeb (2.0 g/l).
 For die back and fruit rot spray benomyl 50% WP @ 80 g in 240 l of water/acre or captan
75% WP @ 800 g in 400 l of water/acre or copper oxy chloride 50% WP @ 1000 g in 300-
400 l of water/acre

3-Powdery mildew
Symptoms: The disease initially appears as tiny yellow spots on surface of leaf and powder like
material on the lower surface leading to a powdery growth covering the entire lower surface of
leaf which leads to drying and dropping of leaves at later stages. The disease reduces growth of
leaves and fruits leading to low quality and quantity of the produce. Powdery growth can also be
seen on young fruits, and branches.
Management:
 Spray Pongamia /Neem oil (7ml/L) + sulphur WDG-80 (2g/L) or wettable sulphur (2g/L)
or hexaconazole (0.5ml/L) or myclobutanil (1g/L) or dinocap (1 ml/L) or azoxystrobin
(0.5ml/L) or penconazole (0.5ml/L) or flusilazole (0.5ml/L).
 Spray Wettable Sulphur (3.0g/l) (before flowering only) or Tridemorph (1.0ml/l) or
Hexaconazole (0.5ml/l) or Dinocap (1ml/l) or Flusilazole (0.3 ml/l) or Myclobutanil (1.0
g/l) or Neem oil emulsified (10-15ml/l) at 10-15 days interval from the onset of the disease.

4-Cercospora leaf rot

Symptoms: Cercospora appears initially as tiny yellow spot on leaf surface leading to increased
dark grey spots which spreads on entire leaf resulting in dropping of leaf.
Management:

Spray mancozeb 75% WP @ 600-800 g in 300 l of water or zineb 75% WP @ 600- 800 g in 300-
400 l of water/acre or copper oxy chloride 50% WP @ 1000 g in 300- 400 l of water/acre or
benomyl 50% WP @ 80 g in 240 l of water/acre.
5-Fusraium wilt

6-Phytopthora blight
Symptoms: This disease appears during fruiting and flowering stage resulting in tiny oil like spot
on leaf surface resulting in rottening and blackening of plants. Later plant weakens and dies in 2-
3 days. Heavy and continuous rainfalls coupled with high humidity favour 18 disease appearance
and its quick spread. Phythopthera disease is relatively more severe in net houses which may lead
to 40-80 per cent crop damage.
Management:
 Spray copper hydroxy chloride (3g/L) or bordeaux mixture (1%) or metalaxyl MZ (2g/L)
or dimethomorph + mancozeb (1 g + 2.5g/L) or fosetyl aluminium (2g/L) or azoxystrobin
(0.5ml/L).
 Spray Mancozeb (2.0 g/l) or Copper oxychloride (3.0g/l) or Bordeaux mixture (1%),
Copper hydroxide (2.0g/l) or Fosetyl-Al (2.0 g/l) or combination of Dimethomorph (1.0g/l)
+ Metiram (2.0g/l).
7-Bacterial leaf spot
8-Alternaria leaf spot

Management for Bacterial leaf spot and Alternaria leaf spot

Spray mancozeb 75% WP @ 600-800 g in 300 l of water or zineb 75% WP @ 600- 800 g in 300-
400 l of water/acre or benomyl 50% WP @ 80 g in 240 l of water/acre.
9-Viral diseases (leaf curl virus)

Symptoms: Leaf curl disease is transmitted by white flies (Bemisia tabaci). The disease is
characterized by puckering of leaf blade, and gradual reduction in the size. Diseased plants flower
poorly with low fruit set. In case of leaf curl the disease is characterized by curling of the leaves,
and thickening and swelling of veins. In advanced stages the whole plant appears bushy, with
stunted growth and fewer flowers.
Management:

 Uproot and destroy the leaf curl infected plants up to first harvest.
 Spray Imidacloprid 200S L (0.3ml/l) or Thiomethoxom 25 WP (0.3g/l) in nursery after 15
days of sowing and after 15 days of planting in main field.
 Drench the required seedling with Imidacloprid 200SL (0.3ml/l) or Thiomethoxom 25 WP
(0.3g/l) one day before transplanting.

Other important protection measures:

Baking soda spray: Baking soda is a white soluble compound that has fungicidal properties when
used as spray on diseased plants. It also serves as protectant (on plants) from disease-causing
pathogens. Mix 1 tbsp of baking soda and 1 tbsp of dormant oil or vegetable oil. Add 4 liters of
water and stir well. Add one tbsp of dish washing liquid soap and stir it again. Fill-in water can or
sprinkler and spray. Stir or shake the container from time to time to prevent soda from separating.
Repeat application every after 2 weeks. Apply baking soda spray as soon as the symptoms appear.
Be sure to include the undersides of the plants’ foliage. Spray in the early morning or late
afternoon.
Bordeaux mix: There are many copper compounds that are used as fungicides. The most common
is Bordeaux mix which is a combination of copper sulphate and hydrated lime.

Copper sulphate, lime and water in the ratio 1:1:100 are used for preparing one per cent Bordeaux
mixture. In order to prepare 100 Litres of mixture one kg of copper sulphate is dissolved in 50
Litres water. In another vessel one kg of fresh quick lime is slaked by sprinkling water and the
volume of lime solution is made up to 50 Litres water. The copper sulphate solution is poured into
lime solution by stirring the mixture. Both solutions can also be poured into a third vessel with
constant stirring. The prepared Bordeaux mixture should be strained through a cloth/strainer before
spraying.

Spray plants thoroughly preferably early in the morning, in a dry and sunny day. In this way, the
plants have the time to dry and the solution cannot penetrate into the leaves’ tissues. Constantly
shake the sprayer while in the process of application to prevent the solution from clogging.

Tobacco Decoction: Boil 1 kg tobacco dust in 10 liters of water for 30 minutes to attain coffee
red colour. Add water to the boiling solution to make 10 litres volume. Cool and filter the decoction
using a thin muslin cloth. Add soap @ 2 g/l and dilute to 80 to 100 litres for spray. This preparation
is effective against whitefly, aphids, and leafhoppers. Tobacco decoction should not be used
frequently as it is toxic to natural enemies.
Physiological disorders
l- Blossom End Rot:
Sunken, collapsed tissue near the blossom end of the pepper fruit; often forms on or between lobes
and can occur on sidewalls, and quickly invaded by bacteria/fungi that can lead to further decay.
Lack of calcium in the soil has an important role in causing BER, and also often associated with
inadequate soil moisture content.
Hence, maintain adequate irrigation, especially during periods of hot, dry, and windy weather;
test soil for calcium levels before planting and if needed add lime or dolomite prior to preparing
plant beds.
2-Sunscald:

This disorder occurs when fruit are exposed to high heat and light. Tissue becomes damaged and
bleached. Green mature fruit is susceptible.
To avoid sunscald, select cultivars with good leaf coverage of the fruit and take steps to avoid plant
lodging. Staking can decrease sunscald by supporting plants upright and minimizing lodging.
When plants lodge, fruit can be exposed to direct sun resulting in sunscald.
3-Stip:
Not observed as commonly as blossom end rot or sunscald, stip symptoms are dark, slightly sunken
spots on fruit. (Stip means specks in German.) The exact cause of stip is unknown, but low calcium
and high nitrogen and potassium are thought to be contributing factors.
To avoid stip, have a good nutrient management plan. Cultivar selection also is important in
managing stip
4-Chilling injury:

Chilling injury can be induced by extended periods below 5°C. Initial damage can appear as
dimpled areas in the skin, similar to orange peel. More significant chilling results in sunken pits,
which are highly susceptible to decay. Severe chilling can cause large brown lesions, where the
skin separates from the water soaked underlying flesh.
Treatment with certain naturally occurring compounds such as methyl jasmonate (MJ) or methyl
salicylate (MS) increased activities of alternative oxidase (AOX) in the respiratory pathway of
sweet pepper.
Harvesting:
Early morning hours are best suited for capsicum harvest. Green capsicum can be harvested at 55
to 60 days after transplanting, yellow capsicum at 70-75 days whereas red capsicum at 80-90 days.
Fruits can be harvested once in 3 to 4 days. Yellow and red fruits can be harvested when they have
gained 50-80 per cent of the colour development. After harvest fruits should be kept in cool place
and avoid direct exposure to sunlight.

Post-harvest management:
Key points-
 Capsicums should not be harvested while wet. If conditions are hot, harvested fruit must
be shaded to prevent dehydration and sunburn.
  Field-grown fruit usually need to be washed with soft brushes and water jets; capsicums
should never be immersed in water.
 Storage life is variable, but maximized at 1–5°C.
Grading
Capsicums are highly perishable in nature and lose water very rapidly due to shrivelling, drying &
softening of the fruit which accelerates deterioration. Good quality fruits are selected and are
cleaned with clean, dry and soft cloth to remove water drops or wetness or powdery residues of
pesticides/ fungicides, if any, found on the fruits.
Storage
The optimum conditions for storage of capsicum is 7- 8°C temperature with high relative humidity
(90 to 95 %) where the shelf life of fruits can be extended for 2 to 3 weeks. Capsicum fruits should
not be stored with other ripening fruits especially mangoes, papayas and tomatoes to prevent faster
ripening and spoilage.
Pre cooling:
Precooling is a very important step in the post-harvest stage of the perishable-produce industry.
Precooling means quickly removing the heat from freshly harvested fruits and vegetables to
reduce the loss in quality of produce once it’s been picked. Precooling increases the shelf-life of
fresh produce. It also inhibits the growth of both existing and new microbes.

Methods for Precooling Fresh Produce

1-Room Cooling
Room Cooling is simply placing your product-to-be-cooled in a room colder than the product for
the required time to cool the product to the desired temperature.

2- Hydro-cooling
Hydro-cooling is a method of precooling that involves chilling water and then showering or
submerging the product in cold water.

3- Vacuum Cooling
Vacuum cooling uses a negative pressure (vacuum pump) to allow evaporation to occur. The
moisture within the product evaporates at this low pressure, which cools the product.
4-Forced-air Cooling

Forced-air cooling is removing heat by creating a pressure differential across the product and
“drawing” cold air through the product packaging. This method may also be called Blast
Cooling.

This is the best method for the cooling of capsicum.