4. Introduction
Chilli is one of the most important commercial crops of India. It is grown almost
throughout the country.
There are more than 400 different varieties of chillie’s found all over the world. It is
also called as hot pepper, sweet pepper, bell pepper, etc.
Both chilli and capsicum belong to same family as well as same genus that is Capsicum.
India is a major producer, consumer and exporter of chilli in the world. China is a major
capsicum producing country.
5. continue…
The major chilli growing states in India are Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra,
Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.
These states account for nearly 80% area under chillies cultivation in India.
Capsicum or Shimla mirch or bell pepper is one of the important vegetable grown in
India which is less pungent.
Mid hills of Himachal Pradesh are leading suppliers of capsicum during off-season.
Pungency in chillies is due to alkaloid capsaicin, which has good export potentiality.
The red color of chillies is due to the presence pigment capsanthin.
6. Classification
Kingdom : Plantae
Division : Magnoliophyta
Class : magnoliopsida
Order : Solanales
Family : Solanaceae
Genus :Capsicum
Species :annum; frutescence; baccatum; pubescence; chinense etc.
7. Important varieties of chilli
(A) Selection:
1. G-3:- selection from NP-46-A, by Agricultural Research Station, Lam, Guntur. Suitable for irrigated and rainfed
condition.
2. Sindhur:- selection from Hot Portoga, by Agricultural Research Station, Lam, Guntur.
3. HC-44:- selection from local material of North Haryana, by CCSHAU Hisar. It is tolerant to TMV, CMV and
leaf curl disease. Moderately tolerant to fruit rot, powdery mildew and wilt.
4. Jawahar Mirch 283:- selection from local collection, by JKNV, Jabalpur (MP).
5. Arka Lohit:- by IIHR, Bangalore.
(B) Mutant:
1. MDU-1:- developed through mutation utilizing gamma rays on seeds of K-1, by Agriculture College and
Research Institute, Madurai (TN).
8. continue…
(C) Hybrid:
1. Pusa Jwala:- developed from a cross between NP-46-A×Puri Red by IARI, New Delhi. Tolerant to
thrips, mite and aphid.
2. NP-46-A:- released by IARI, New Delhi. Tolerant to thrips and susceptible to viral disease.
3. Pant C-1:- developed through NP-46-A×Khandari by GBPUAT, Pantnagar. Tolerant to mosaic and leaf
curl virus.
4. Punjab Lal:- developed by crossing Perennial×Long Red by PAU, Ludhiana. Resistant to TMV, CMV,
leaf curl viruses and moderately resistant to fruit rot and die back.
5. Andhra Jyoti (G-5):- a cross of G-2×Bihar variety by Agricultural Research Station, Lam, Guntur. It is
tolerant to thrips.
9. continue…
(D) Public sector hybrids:
1. Tejaswini
2. Champion
3. Delhi Hot
4. Gayatri
5. Agni
(E) Private sector hybrid:
1. CH-1:- developed by using male sterility (MS12×LLS) by PAU, Ludhiana. This
variety is tolerant to viral and fungal disease.
10. Climate
Chillies can be grown from equator to 45° in both hemispheres i.e. tropical
and sub tropical regions in areas with over 40°C temperature.
It is raised from sea level to 2000 meter above sea level.
Optimum temperature for fruit set is 24°C.
Night temperature below 10°C fruit set restricted.
Fruit weight, length, girth and pericarp thickness were high at 25°C day and
18°C night temperature.
Chilli can be grown all types of soils from light sandy to heavy clay.
Optimum soil pH for chilli is 5.8 to 6.5.
Very sensitive to water logging.
Thoroughly plough the land 3-4 times followed by planking to level the field.
11. Manure and fertilizers
Apply 100q FYM or compost for one acre before
transplanting.
60kg N, 30kg P2O5 and 30kg K2O per acre recommended.
Full dose of P2O5 and K2Oand 1/3 dose of N should be
applied at the time of transplanting.
The remaining 2/3 N is applied in two equal splits i.e. 5-6
weeks after transplanting at the time of earthing up and 8-10
weeks after transplanting.
12. Nursery raising
Apply 8-10kg of well rotten FYM and 500g of 15:15:15 NPK fertilizer during preparation of nursery
bed.
About 6-8 beds of 6×1.2×0.15m size are sufficient to raise seedling for one acre.
Nursery soil should be drenched with Formalin solution or with Captan 0.3% @ 5 lit. sol/m2 for
damping off control of seedling.
After drenching, the bed should be covered with alkathene sheet for 48 hours then open for 48-72 hrs
before sowing.
80-100 gm seed is sufficient for one acre.
2.5mm deep in rows 5-7cm apart is better sowing.
Optimum time for seed sowing in northern plains is October-November while February-April for
hills.
13. Transplanting
Transplanting is done in the evening.
The optimum spacing is 60×45cm for open field
conditions.
Immediate irrigation after transplanting facilitates better
plant establishment.
Thereafter light and frequent irrigation should be given
upto the establishment of plant.
14. Irrigation
Depends on soil type and season.
Chilli plant cannot withstand water stagnation and excess moisture, hence light
irrigation proper drainage is recommended.
Generally crop is irrigated at an interval of 5-6 days in summers and 9-10 days in
winters.
Sandy soils requires frequent irrigation than clay soils.
15. Inter-culture andWeed control
Gap filling is essential.
It should be done in the evening hours followed by
irrigation.
Two to three hand weeding at 20 and 40 days after
transplanting are essential.
Fluchlorin @0.5-1.0kg/ha pre plant incorporation
before 10 days or Alachlor @2.5kg/ha pre transplant
surface application give good control of weeds in chilli
crop.
16. Harvesting
Green chillies are harvested after 60 days of
transplanting and dry chillies are harvested after 90 days
of transplanting.
5-6 picking is done for green chillies.
2-3 picking for red ripe fruits.
17. Yield
Normally 15-20 ton of green chilli are obtained from an acre
About 25-40% dry chilli recovery is obtained depending upon cultivars and
thickness of the inner walls.
19. Physiological disorder
Disorder Control
Blossom end rot(BER):- appearance of water
soaked spots on blossom end of the fruit.
Supply light irrigation regularly. Avoid heavy
application of N fertilizers.
Adding lime to the soil or spray anhydrous calcium
chloride.
Sun scald :soft, light colored and slightly
wrinkled areas appear on the fruit surface
Transplant seedling at closer spacing.
Grow abundant foliage varieties and control defoliating
insects.
Flower and fruit drop:- due to high temperature
and low humidity, low light intensity, short day and
high temperature.
Give light and frequent irrigation at flowering and fruit
set stages.
Spray the crop either NAA 50 ppm or Tricontanol 2
ppm at full bloom stage.
21. Insect Pests
Insects Control
Thrips (Scirtothrips dorsalis):- The larvae and
adult suck the sap of leaves, buds, flowers and
cause curling of leaves.
Spray Dimethoate 0.03% or Endosulfan 0.05% at 15
days interval.
Aphid (Aphis gossypii, Myzus persicae):- suck
cell sap from leaves.
Spray Methyl Demeton 0.025% or Dimethoate 0.03% .
White fly (Bemisia tabaci):suck cell sap and
spread leaf curl disease.
Malathion 0.1%
Fruit borer (Spodoptera litura):-caterpillars
feed gregariously on leaves and scrap them
spray Cypermethrin 0.05% or Carbar.02% at 15 days
interval.
23. Fungal Diseases
Disease Control
Damping off (Pythium aphanidermatum, Rhizoctonia solani,
Fusarium spp., and Phytophthora spp.):-
Seed treatment with Captan or Thiram @ 2g/kg seed.
Nursery bed treatment with Formalin.
Drenching nursery bed with mixture of Dithane M-45 0.25% and Bavistin 0.1%.
Ripe fruit rot, Dieback and Anthracnose (Colletotrichum
capsici):-
Seed treatment with Thiram or Dithane M-45 @ 2g/kg seed.
Spray Dithane M-45 0.25% or Blitox 0.1% or Bavistin 0.1%.
Fruit rot (Phytophthora capsici):- seed treatment with Thiram or Dithane M-45 @ 2g/kg seed.
Spray Dithane M-45 0.25% or Blitox 0.1% or Bavistin 0.1%.
Powdery mildew (Leveillula taurica):- Spray Karathane 0.2% at 15 days interval.
Leaf spot (Cercospora capsici) Seed treatment with Thiram @ 2g/kg seed.
Spray Bordeaux mixture 1% or Bavistin 0.1% at 15 days interval.
Blight (Alternaria solani):- dark and leathery spots appear on
the leaves and defoliation occur
Spray Dithane M-45 (0.2%) and repeat after 10 days interval.
25. Bacterial & Viral Diseases
Disease Control
Bacterial leaf spot (Xanthomonas vesicatoria):-
development of small dark and greasy spots on the leaves,
petioles and stems and water soaked spots on the green
fruits.
Seed treatment with hot water at 50°C for 25 minutes.
Remove affected plant.
Destroy weed hosts.
Spray Streptomycin 200 ppm + Copper Oxychloride (0.03%) thrice
during October – November at 15 days interval.
Mosaic(caused by Tobacco Mosaic Virus (TMV).
Chlorosis, mottling, thickening of leaf veins, clustering of
infected leaves and stunting of plants are observed. Virus
is transmitted by aphids.)
Grow tolerant varieties like Punjab Lal, Perennial etc.
Grow barrier crops like maize or amaranthus.
Spray Malathion 0.1% or Methyl Demeton 0.2% at 10 days interval.
Leaf curl:- characterized by curling, twisting, crumpling
and smalling of leaves. White fly is responsible for
transmission of disease.
Rogue out infected plants and weeds.
Apply Phorate @ 1.25kg a.i./ha followed by Carbofuran @ 1.25kg a.i./ha in
nursery.
Spray Dimethoate 0.05% or Endosulfan 0.05% at 10 days interval.