Cultivation - Life Cycle of Chilly
Description:
Hi, welcome to Tutorialspoint. In this tutorial, we will talk about the cultivation process of chilli crop. Chilli has different names in different languages. In Hindi, it called Mirchi. The botanical name of chilli is Capsicum Annuum. It belongs to the family Solanaceae.
Chilli can be had as a vegetable; or, can be used to add flavor to your food in the form of a spice. It is also used to make sauces and pickles.
The chilli plant might grow to a height of 2 feet till 4 feet.
Chill crop can be cultivated best in warm and humid climate. Sub-tropical regions are most suitable for its growth. The ideal temperature for chilli crop cultivation ranges from 25oc to 30oc.
Let us now learn about the stages involved in the cultivation process of chill crop −
- Land preparation
- Drip irrigation arrangement
- Seed sowing and raising nursery
- Transplantation
- Weeding and intercultural operations
- Pest and disease management
- Flowering and Fruit formation
- Harvesting
We will now learn how to prepare the land for the cultivation of chill crop.
Land Preparation
Well-drained loamy soils rich in organic matter with pH range 6.5-7.5 are best suitable for chilli crop.
The soil should be plowed to attain a reasonable depth of 10-20 cm with varying clod sizes. The land is prepared by giving 2-3 ploughings and clod crushing after each ploughing. Disc plough / chisel plough can be used for ploughing.
100-150 quintals of Compost or FYM should be spread and mixed well in the soil. Apply 2 kg/ha of Azospirillum and 2 kg / ha of Phosphobacteria by mixing with 20 kg of FYM. The land is levelled by using clod crusher after each fertilizer application for proper incorporation of fertilizer.
Land preparation is now complete. Let us now see the arrangement of drip irrigation in the field.
Drip Irrigation Arrangement
Drip irrigation saves water and fertilizer by allowing water to drip slowly to the roots of plants, either onto the soil surface or directly into the root zone, through a network of valves, pipes, tubing, and emitters. Overhead irrigation wets the plants but produces runoff. In contrast, drip irrigation is a controlled irrigation method. It works by exposing the roots to a direct supply of water. Drip irrigation system releases water in a slow and steady fashion and a controlled amount of water is supplied to plants at regular intervals.
Let us now see the process of seed sowing and raising nursery.
Seed sowing and Raising Nursery
To fill the pro trays, mix sterilized coco peat along with neem cake and Phosphobacteria. Sow the treated seed in protrays @ 1 seed per cell. The seed rate required per 1 hectare is 1 kg. June to July is considered most suitable for the sowing of seeds.
Cover the seeds with coco peat and keep the trays one above the other and cover with a polythene sheet till the germination starts. After 5 days of sowing, place the pro trays with germinated seedlings individually on the raised beds inside the shade net. Water with hosepipe or rose can every day for seed germination. Drench with 19:19:19 @ 18 days after sowing.
At 25 days’ age, seedlings are ready for transplantation. We will now see how to transplant the seedlings in nursery.
The seedlings will be transplanted to an irrigated field.
Transplantation
Seedlings are transplanted by hand or machine into moist and well prepared soil. Make sure that the roots of the seedlings are completely covered with soil. Irrigate the plants immediately after transplanting to make the soil around the plant firm.
The spacing required for varieties is 60 x 45 cm; and the spacing for Hybrids is 75 x 60 cm. This helps in reducing the competition between the plants and produces better yield.
Let us allow the crop to grow by providing irrigation. This will be followed by intercultural operations in the field.
Weeding and Intercultural Operations
The growth rate of weeds is very high. Weeds normally have high photosynthetic efficiency. Weeds adversely affect the crop production. They reduce yield, quality and marketability of vegetables.
Weed infestation increases the cost of cultivation as control measures require labour, materials, equipment and management.
Some weeds provide hiding place for insect-pests and act as host plants for pathogens. They block the drainage and impede the flow of water in irrigation channels.
Deep ploughing, digging and removal of rhizomes and perennial weeds is necessary.
Periodical harrowing reduces weeds and loss of moisture due to evaporation.
For transplanted crops at 25-30 days, one intercultivation with blade harrow followed by line weeding within the rows is necessary. Subsequent intercultures at 10-12 days’ intervals until full coverage of land by crop should be given.
If the crop is transplanted on ridges as irrigated crop, weeding is required at intervals of 3-4 days after each irrigation preferably with a hand hoe.
Pest and Disease Management
The major pests that attack the chilli crop are Fruit borers, Thrips, Aphids, Yellow Muranai mite.
Damping off, Leaf spot, Powdery mildew, Die-back, Fruit Rot and Anthracnose are a few diseases that attack the chilli crop.
- To control Fruit borers, spray pesticide Fipronil.
- Thrips can be controlled by spraying insecticide Dimethoate.
- To control Aphids, spray pesticide Imidacloprid.
- Yellow Muranai mite can be controlled by spraying insecticide Quinalphos.
- To control Damping off, spraying of Copper oxychloride is required.
- Leaf spot can be controlled by spraying Mancozeb.
- To control Powdery mildew, spray Wettable Sulphur.
- Die-back and fruit rot can be controlled by spraying Copper Oxychloride.
- To control Anthracnose, spray Mancozeb.
Flowering and Fruit Formation
As chilly plants begin to mature, they will start flowering. We will notice the flowers appearing on plants. This indicates that it is time to welcome the first set of chilies. All that stands between the flowers and the fresh chilli pods is pollination. Pollination is taken care of naturally by bees and other insects.
A vast majority of chilli plants are a result of self-pollinated flowers. Chilli plants usually produce an abundance of flowers – more than they need or can sustain if they turn to fruits.
From sowing, chilli plants vary from about 90 to 120 days to fruits being ready. If you are using the unripe (green) fruit, this range will be reduced. Once chilli fruits grow in size and color, the fruits are ready for harvesting.
Harvesting
The time for chilli harvesting depends upon the purpose and is done by picking the fruits. Picking of green chilies starts from 90 days after transplanting. Picking of dry chilies starts from 120 days after transplanting. We will now see the harvesting of green colored fully developed chilies. Chilies are harvested at 10 days’ interval. Fresh chilies are packed and sent to market immediately. Harvesting continues up to three months.
As discussed earlier, harvesting of red chilies starts 120 days after transplanting. It is done at 10 to 15 days’ interval for 3 to 4 times in case of rain fed crop and for 5 to 6 times in case of irrigated crop. The dry chilies are picked along with stalk.
The yield varies; the average yield of green chilies is 80 to 100 qt/ha. And, the average yield of dry red chilies is 15 to 20 qt/ha.