Capsicum is a cool season crop suitable for protected cultivation in greenhouses. It has high yields of 100-120 t/ha compared to open field yields of 20-40 t/ha. Hybrid varieties with thick fleshy fruits like Indira, Mahabharat and Orobelle are well-suited for greenhouse production. Seedlings are raised in nursery beds and transplanted to growing beds in greenhouses at a spacing of 45x30 cm. Drip irrigation and fertigation are provided. Pruning and training plants on twine supports maintains 4-6 fruiting branches per plant. Harvesting starts at 60 days and continues until plants cease bearing at 180-270 days. Yields of 10-12 kg/

1. PROTECTED CULTIVATION OF
CAPSICUM
Submitted by
S.ADHIYAMAAN (2017603401)
I-M.Sc. VEGETABLE SCIENCE
DEPT. OF VEGETABLE CROPS
HC & RI, TNAU, CBE.- 641 003

2. Introduction
• Capsicum (Capsicum annuum var. grossum) also known as bell
pepper or sweet pepper , leading vegetable grown in green houses
• It is rich in vitamin A, C and minerals
• Gaining popularity in peri-urban production systems because of easy
access to urban markets
• Yield gap between (field 20-40 t/ha) and (greenhouse 100-120 t/ha)
• Superior quality, substantial reduction in the use of pesticides and eco-
friendly proposition
• Mainly grown in HP, UP, MH, KA and hilly regions of TN

3. Climate
• Capsicum is a cool season crop and day temperature less
than 30°C is favourable
• Higher temperature results in rapid plant growth and affects
fruit set
• Ideal temperature for flowering is 26-28°C day and 16-18°C
night
• Shading is required during summer to avoid temperature
build up in the greenhouses and moderately high RH
(50-60%) is preferred

4. Soil
• Red or sandy loam soil
• Soil with pH of 5.5-6.8 is ideal
• High acidic soil reclaimed by using lime
• Capsicum has bidirectional root system, so soil
should be loose

5. Hybrids
• Hybrids with indeterminate growth habit, as these hybrids
grow to a height of 2 m and above
• Commercial hybrids with a yield potential up to 100t/ha
and more are suitable for greenhouse cultivation.
• Capsicum fruits with Green, Yellow, Red, Orange and
recently Black colours are in great demand in urban
markets

6. Colours

7. SELECTION OF VARIETIES
• Thick fleshed best for roasting and cooking,
• thinner - suitable for eating as raw.
• Four lobbed peppers with square shapes are more suitable
• Green and violet are the strongest in flavour
• Yellow, red and orange coloured are milder and sweeter.
• Nun-3020 (Yellow), Nun-3019 (Red), Bharat, Mahabharat (both red),
Golden Summer (yellow), Bomby (red), Orobellee (yellow), Indira (red),
Heera (red) and Tanvi etc.

8. IIHR, Bangalore
• Indeterminate plant habit
• Thick fleshed, 2-3 lobed conical
fruits
• Average fruit weight 50-80 g
• Yield potential -16 t/ha
• Duration -150 days.
• Suitable for long distance
transport

9. • Indeterminate plant habit with
green foliage
• Thick fleshed, 3-4 lobed green
blocky fruits
• Average fruit weight 130-150 g
• Fruits erect which turn orange
yellow on ripening
• Yield potential -16 t/ha
• Duration -150 days

10. Indo American Hybrid Seeds
Mahabharat
• 3-4 lobed, blocky dark
green fruits
• Good shelf life
• High yielding

11. INDIRA
• Fruit is dark green, thick-walled and glossy
• Average weight 170 g (12 x 10 cm)
• Having 3 - 4 lobes
• Longer shelf life
• Ideal for long distance transportation
• High export potential
OROBELLE
• Fruits are blocky, almost square (10 x 9 cm) with a
medium-thick wall.
• Average fruit weight is 150 g
• Suitable for green house cultivation
syngenta

12. NS 280
Relative days to
maturity
: 70 - 75
Fruit colour : Green to red
Fruit size (g) : 200-230
Fruit shape : blocky
Plant habit : vigorous
Remarks : Very good quality
fruits, suitable for
Red fruit harvest
Namdhari seeds

13. NS 281
Relative days to
maturity
: 65 - 70
Fruit colour : Green to Yellow
Fruit size (g) : 200-220
Fruit shape : blocky
Plant habit : vigorous
Remarks : Very good keeping
quality, turns to
Yellow on maturity

14. Nunhems hybrid seeds
Flavio
Maturity : Early to Mid-Early
Fruit Colour : Deep green going to
deep red
Plant
Characteristics
: Good plant vigour
and leaf cover
Fruit
Characteristics
: Semi blocky/short
type
Adaptation : Suited for Spring-
Summer

15. Nursery
• Pro-trays (98 cells) are filled with growing medium and tapped
gently to fill the cells properly
• Shallow depressions of about 5mm depth are made in each cell
• Commercial cocopeat having enough moisture is used, no
irrigation is required till seeds germinate
• Filled trays are staked one above the other and covered with a
plastic sheet to create warmth and humidity require for
germination
• Seedlings are raised in seedling trays placed inside a net house
or polyhouse

17. Growing beds
• Digging loosens the soil, then clods are broken and soil is
brought to fine tilth
• Beds of 100 cm width and 15 cm height are prepared leaving
50 cm working space between the beds
• Well decomposed organic manure, at the rate of one bamboo
basket per square meter of the bed is added, mixed
thoroughly and the beds are levelled
• In heavy soils mixing sand up to 25% is required to
provide aeration at the root zone

18. Disinfecting the growing beds
• Beds are drenched using 4% formaldehyde (4 lit/m2
) of the bed
and covered with polyethylene sheet
• Care should be taken to wear mask, gloves and apron to avoid
direct contact with formaldehyde fumes
• Four days after formaldehyde treatment, the polyethylene cover
removed, the beds are raked repeatedly every day

23. Application of neem cake and Trichoderma
• Neem cake is slightly watered to moisten and kept for two days,
and then it is mixed with Trichoderma formulation at the rate of
1 kg/100kg neem cake
• Mixture is closed with plastic sheet and turned thoroughly on
alternate days
• After 15 days, the neem cake + Trichoderma formulation will be
ready for application
• Neem cake plus Trichoderma formulation is applied before
planting but after formaldehyde fumes are exhausted completely
@ of 200 g/ m2

24. Fertilizer application
• Commercial fertilizers supplying 50:50:50 N:P2O5:K2O
kg/ha, are applied to the growing beds
• Two furrows are opened in the growing beds and
fertilizer mixture is applied in the furrows and furrows
are closed

26. Laying of drip line
• Place one inline drip lateral at the centre of the bed
• Inline lateral having an emitting point for every 30
cm interval with discharge of 2 L/hr.
• Run drip system with water to check each emitting
points for uniform discharge of water

28. Mulching
• 100 micron thick polyethylene mulch film of 1.2 m width is
used to cover the planting bed
• Holes of 5 cm diameter are made on the mulch film as per
recommended spacing (45 x 30 cm)
• The planting beds are covered with the mulch by securing the
edges of the sheet firmly in the soil

29. Spacing
• Seedlings are planted in paired rows in one
meter wide beds with spacing of 45 x 30 cm.

31. Transplanting
• Seedlings of 30-35 days old, vigorous and uniform sized are selected
• Early morning hours or preferably in the evening
• Capsicum seedlings are planted in the holes made in the polyethylene
mulch film so that the seedlings do not touch the film
• Watering the beds is done daily with a rose can till the seedlings get
established well
• Drenching with 0.3% COC if mortality of the seedlings is noticed

33. Irrigation
• Drip irrigation starts 10 days after transplanting
• Drip irrigation is given daily to supply 2-3 litres of water per
square meter per day depending on local weather condition
• Capsicum extract 70-80% of water used from a depth of
0-30 cm
• Bell pepper requires 110 cm of water (Hedge, 1993)

34. Fertigation
• Water soluble fertilizers supplying 19% each of N, P2O5
andK2O is used at the rate of 2.25 g/m2
for every
fertigation, given twice a week
• Capsicum crop is sprayed with micronutrient formulation
(3g/l) 2-3 times once in 30 days starting from 60 days after
transplanting
• Capsicum is found to be susceptible to calcium deficiency
• The crop is fertigated 2-3 times with CaNO3once in 15
days if calcium deficiency is noticed

35. The total dose of 150 kg each of N: P2O5: K2O per hectare using
water-soluble fertilizers is given through fertigation for entire crop
growth period, twice a week, starting from third week after transplanting

36. Other methOds Of cultivatiOn

37. Cultivation of capsicum in polybags

38. Capsicum cultivation in net house

39. Capsicum cultivation in full controlled polyhouse

40. The nutrient film technique
(NFT)
The closed insulated pallet system
(CIPS)

41. Pruning
• Capsicum plants are pruned to retain four stems.
• Pruning is done at weekly interval starting from 15 to 20 days
after transplanting. From 4th month onwards once in 10 days.
• Plants show dichotomous branching.
• The tip of the plant splits into two at 5th or 6th node on 15
to 20 days after transplanting (DAT). These two branches
again split into two giving rise to four branches by 25 to 30
DAT.
Operations

42. Pruning
• At every node the tip splits into two giving rise to one strong
branch and one weak branch
• Only these four main branches are maintained till the end of
the crop.
• All the flowers that appear till one month after transplanting
are removed.
• Only one fruit per node is allowed to develop.
5th
or 6th
node

43. PRUNING IN CAPSICUM
All the shoots appearing at the base of the plants are removed, as they are
not productive.

44. Pinching / Topping
• Lateral shoots or
branches are pinched on
first leaf (internodes) or
second-leaf (internodes)

45. Pinching/ Topping

46. Crop Support in Capsicum

47. Crop Support in Capsicum

48. FRUIT PRUNING

49. Training
• The plants are trained along a plastic twine. Each branch
should have a separate plastic twine to train along.
• The plastic twines are tied to the GI wire grid provided at 2.5
to 3.0 meter height and then to the base of the plant.
• Tying plants to the plastic twine starts from 6th week after
planting at 20 days interval.

50. Two-Leader System
Two leader or
branches maintain per
plant

51. Four-Leader System
Four leader or branches
maintain per plant

52. Diff. Between Four & Two Leaders

53. Two growing conditions

54. Pruning levels

55. Number of fruits in different training levels under naturally ventilated
polyhouse
Number of fruits in different training levels under shade house

56. • 60 days after transplanting - green,
• 80 to 90 - yellow and red fruited hybrids.
• continues up to 170 to 180 days at 10 days interval in green
• up to 240 to 270 days
• Mature green
• Yellow when it is 75% yellow
• Red when it is 100% red
Harvesting

57. Yield
•100 to 120 t/ha
•10 to 12 kg / m2, 2.25 to 2.70 kg / plant
•Average individual fruit weight 180 g in initial harvests, 100 g in last harvests.
Packing
•Packed in card board boxes/trays using paper shreds as the padding material.
Post harvest handling and storage
•Shrink wrapping each fruit and storing at 7 to 80
C- storability up to 45 to 60
days.

58. Packing

59. Disorders

60. Flat fruits
• Caused by low temperature
• Night temperatures of around
18°C ensure an ideal seed set and
fruit shape
• Low-night temperatures decrease
pollen viability
• Modify flower structure making
self pollination less effective
• Bumblebees for pollination -help
greatly to improve fruit shape

61. Pollination without
bees
Pollination with bees

62. Blossom end rot
• Excess of nitrogen &
water stress
• Water soaked area near
blossom end
• Later become light
brown and leathery
• Spraying of 2% CaCl2

63. Fruit load and fruit growth
• Excess fruit load –cause decaying of roots
• Number of fruits/plant –light, temperature & plant size
• Good light condition - 20 to24 fruits/m²
• Poor light condition - 10 to12 fruits/m²
• 5-9 weeks after fruit set - reach full size
• After 3-4 weeks - full colour
• Total period (full bloom to coloured fruit) -7-12 weeks (45 days)

64. Flower to Fruit (45 days)
you can see within 4.5 min

65. Sanitation
• Removal of old and diseased leaves
• Polyhouse or net house and the structure is kept clean without
any plant debries or weeds
• Allowing visitors is discouraged inside the protected structure
as it may allow insect pests and vectors to enter into the
greenhouse
• Provision is made to wash the foot and the hands with KMnO4
solution (0.5%) at the entrance of the protected structure

66. Diseases of capsicum under protected condition and their management
Disease Symptoms Control
Powdery mildew:
Laveillula taurica
Whitish patches appear on the
leaves, stem and rarely on
fruit.
Karathane (0.1%) Calixin (0.1%)
Sulfex (0.3%)
Fungal Downy Mildew
Peronospora tabacini
pale yellow areas on the upper
sides of the leaves. On the
lower side of the leaf the
downy growth appears in cool
moist weather.
Karathane (0.1%) Calixin (0.1%)
contaf(0.05%),Rubigon(0.025%)
Bacterial diseases
a) Soft rot (Erwinia carotovora)
b) Bacterial spot (Xanthomonas
versicatoria)
Which causes a soft slimy rot.
Which forms a raised rough
pimply area on the fruit, On
the leaves, the spot is first
raised and wart like, and
becomes necrotic spots with
dark margins. The affected
leaves turn yellow and drop.
*Hot water treatments, clean
cultivation
*Streptomycin spray
Viral diseases
a)Leaf curl virus
b) CMV
Yellowing, curling, mottling of
leaves and ultimately death of
plant is seen.
Clean cultivation, vector control,
etc…
Fusarium wilt
Fusarium oxysporum
Yellowing of leaves, Wilting, coller
rot, death of root
COC drench, Carbendizim,
Dithane M-45

67. Pests of capsicum under protected condition and their management
Pest Symptoms and damage Management
Thrips:
Scirtothrips dorsalis
serious during dry periods, Both adult
and nymphs suck the sap from
developing leaves. Affected leaves
curl upwards along the margin and
are reduced in size.
Acephate (Starthane 75WP) 1.5g/ or
Imidacloprid (confidor)0.5ml/l
-Application of Neem cake 250 kg/ha
to kill pupae
White or
yellow mite:
Polyphgotersonemus
latus
Damage is more in hot and humid
seasons and greenhouse (when
temperature is high).
Spray Abamectin (Vertimec) (0.5ml/l)
or Dicofol (Kelthane) (2ml/l)
4% (NSKE) in rotation.
Aphids: Aphis
gossypi,
Myzus persicae
Minute insects, colonies of aphids
suck the sap from tender leaves and
flower buds.
Aphids act as a vector for
transmitting mosaic virus disease
-Remove all the virus affected plants
and destroy.
-Spray Imidacloprid (Confidor)
(0.5ml/l) or
Dimethoate (Rogor) 1 ml/l in rotation
Fruit borer,
Helicoverpa armigera
This pest is not serious in greenhouse. Spray Nuclear PolyhedrosisVirus
(NPV) (Helicoverpa NPV)
250 LE/ha + teepol or any sticker1%
during evening to protect NPV from
UV rays

68. Use of sticky boards for management of sucking pest

69. References
• Singh D.K and K.V. Peter. (2013). Protected Cultivation of
Horticultural crops. New India Publishing Agency. New
Delhi.
• Swain S.C. (2014). Precision Farming in Horticulture
Approaches and Strategies. Narendra Publishing House.
New Delhi.
• Selvakumar R. (2014). A textbook of Glaustas
Olericulture. New Vishal Publications. New Delhi

70. Thank you