Seed Production Technologies for Chili and capsicum

Seed Production Technologies for Chili and capsicum

1. Seed Production Technologies for Chili and capsicum (Capsicum annuum and C. frutescens)

2. Chili (Capsicum annuum and C. frutescens) Commonly known as mirch in hindi is indispensable in the individual kitchen. Chili is one of the most valuable Cash crop produced almost everywhere from kitchen garden to truck as table vegetable in salads and ripe fruits as a spice condiment. Fruits are nutritious, colorful and aromatic giving individuality to food dishes with different recipes. Its pungency factor capsaicin is an alkaloid Used in medicines .

3. Both chili and capsicum bear hermaphrodite, white colored flower. The flowers are borne solitary or in clusters in the axils of leaves. Sepals and petals are usually five in number stamens are five in general, sometimes six. Stigma is club shaped, ovary superior and consists of 2 to 4 or more locules. The anthesis, anther dehiscence and stigma receptivity is influenced by weather conditions. The flowers, however, reported to open by 5.00-6.00 hr and anther dehiscence occurs between 8.00-11.00 hr. The pollen fertility and stigma receptivity is maximum on the day of anthesis, favoring self pollination. Flower Biology

4. However differential position of stigma, particularly HETEROSTYLY with longer stigma and PROTOGYNY prevailing in some lines, cultivars and selection and preference by honeybees and other pollinating insects favors cross pollination and up to 80 % cross pollination has been reported. The flowers are small in structures, therefore hand emasculation and pollination is a time taking process. Unlike others members of the same family (e.g., tomato), the stamens are not epipetalous, nor the flowers are bigger and stout as in brinjal. Male sterility, characterized by absence of functional pollen in the hermaphrodite flower, is an aid to the hybridization programme . Besides manual emasculation significantly increase the cost of hybrid seed production. To mitigate this problem, both genetic as well as cytoplasmic system has been brought into use for hybrid seed production. In India, Punjab farmers are producing chili hybrids seed using nuclear male sterile lines (MS-12 line and ms-10) and natural cross pollination. The CGMS system has been reported from IIHR, Bangalore

5. Well drained sandy loam or loamy or clay loam soils rich in organic matter and lime are best suited for chilli production. Acidic and alkaline soils are not suitable for chili seed production. Well drained clay loam soil is considered ideal. The ideal soil ph for chili is 6.0-6.5. Soil Climate Chilli can be grown in both tropical and sub-tropical areas at altitudes ranging from sea level to 2000 meters above mean sea level. Temperature ranging from 20 to 250 C is ideal for chilli production, but it is susceptible to frost. A warm and humid weather with moderate rainfall (60-120 cm) favors growth while dry weather enhanced fruit maturity

6. Rouging refers to removal of off types from seed production plot prior to growth phase at which seed crop gets contaminated. The off types in vegetables seed production plot include: Different cross compatible species. Other variety of same crops. Same variety not confirming to the prescribed field standard . In chilies and capsicums, Rouging is done thrice, first at vegetative stage based on stem and leaf character, second during flowering, the early and late bolters are removed and fourth during fruit harvest for seed extraction. The maximum permitted limit of off types is 0.1 % for foundation seed and 0.20 % for certified seed Isolation Distance Roughing For breeder seeds plots and certified seeds plots isolation distances should be 400 m and 250 m, respectively.

7. Seed @ 1 to 1.5 kg is required for one hectare or depending upon the variety. Seed treated with Thiram or Captan @ 2 g/kg is sown in the raised nursery beds in lines 5-7 cm apart. The nursery beds too, should be treated with Captan (0.3 %@5 litre solution/m2 ) for raising healthy seedlings. Seedlings are ready for transplanting at 4-6 true leaf stage. Before planting seedlings are first hardened by gradually withholding the water 6-9 days before transplanting and exposing them to direct sunlight. Nursery is thoroughly irrigated 12 to 14 hours before transplanting. Transplanting may be done in the evening in shallow ridges Crop Production

8. In Northern plains for chilli seed production the seed is sown in nursery during May-June. In hilly areas of North-India seed is sown in nursery in March-April. Time of nursery sowing Transplanting Five to six weeks old seedling with four –five leaves are suitable for transplanting in well prepared field. Spacing Row to row – 45 to 70 cm Plant to plant – 30 to 45 cm

9. Pusa Jwala : This variety released by Central Varietal Release Committee in 1983. Plants dwarf, bushy, light green; fruits 9-10 cm long, light green, ripe fruits light red, highly pungent; fairly tolerant to thrips and mites. Yield 8.5 t/ha (green) and 1.8 t/ha (dry) chilies and recommended for throughout India. Pusa Sadabahar : This variety developed from IARI, New Delhi. Pods are erect 8cm long and 6-14/cluster. Ripe pods bright red, pod yield 15-20q/ha (dry). Resistant to CMV, TMV, leaf-curl viruses. Major Varities

10. Apply 15 to 20 tonnes FYM in one hectare at the time of ploughing. At the time of final land preparation applies 40:40:40: kg NPK/ha and transplanting again apply 30:40:40: kg NPK/ha as top dressing. After first fruit picking apply final dose of 30 kg N/ha as top dressing. Manure and Fertilizer Number of irrigation may be varied depending upon soil condition. However, in light soil, frequency of irrigation is more than in heavy soil. Excess water should be drained out from the field to avoid wilting problems. . Irrigation

11. Hoeing and weeding should be done at 7 to 15 days interval so as to keep the field free from weeds and to facilitate soil aeration and proper root development. Earthing up should be done after application of both the doses of fertilizers. Intercultural Activities

12. i ) Dead mulch: Crop residues like straws or stovers of rice, maize, sorghum, mustard or wheat can be used if they are available or left as a waste. ii) Frequent weeding: Hand weeding at least three or four all through the growing period of chilli due to continuous germination of weed seeds. Hand weeding at initial stages may be replace by chemical weeding and later it may be supplemented with chemical weeding. Chemical weeding may reduce the cost of weeding. Weed Management

13. Name Of herbicide Doses PPI/PRE/POE Controls Weed Trifluralin/Fluchloralin 1.0-1.5 PPI Annual grass and some BLWs Pendimethalin 1.0 PRE Broad spectrum weed control Chlorthal-dimethy 1.5-2.0 POE Annual grass and some BLWs Diphenamid 1.5-2.0 PRE Annual grass and some BLWs Bensulide / Napropamide PPI - iii) Chemical Control

14. Factors Maximum Permitted (%) Factors Foundation Seed (%) Certified Seed (%) Off type 0.10 0.50 0.50 Seed born diseases(leaf blight, anthracnose) 0.10 0.50 No seed born diseases( viruses) 0.50 2.0 Specific Requirment (Field Standards) Under Indian seed Act following field standards and seed standards are fixed for chilli seed production.

15. Factors Class Of Seed Factors Foundation Seed Certified Seed Pure seed (minimum) 98.00 97.00 Inert matter 2.00 2.00 Other crop seed (Maximum) 0.05 0.10 Objectionable weed seeds(Maximum) 0.05 0.10 Germination % (Minimum) 60.00 60.00 Moisture content % (Maximum) 8.0 8.0 Seed Standard

16. Plant Protection

17. Aphids: Small tiny insects suck the plant sap from leaves and growing tips, flower buds etc. Control: Spray the crop with Malathion @ 1-2 ml/ litre of water at 15-20 days interval. Thrips: The insect feed on the sap of tender leaves causing curling of leaf. Buds and flowers are also damaged. Control: Spray Dimethoate @0.025 per cent at fortnightly interval or Rogor or Metasystox @1.5 ml/ litre of water. Mites: This tiny spider like insects feeding on leaves are found large in numbers on the underside of leaves covered with fine webs. Control: Spraying with Dicofol. @2 ml/ litre of water controls the mites in chilies. Major Insect-Pests

18. Damping off: The seedlings are attacked at or just below the soil level and they gradually die. Control: Drenching of nursery bed with Captaf @ 2 g/ litre of water and treating the seeds with Captan (2g/kg of seed) checks the disease. Anthracnose: the disease is severe on ripe fruits also called as ripe fruit rot. The spots are usually circular and sunken with black margins. Control: Seed treatment with Captan (2 g/kg of seed) and spray of Dithane M-45 @ 1.5-2 g/ litre of water at 10-15 days intervals is required. Leaf curl: Most serious disease which are causing curling of leaves accompanied by puckering and blistering of interveinal areas. In advance stage whole plant appears bushy with stunted growth. Control: Removal of infected plants and application of Rogor or Metasystox @1.5 ml/ litre of water regularly at 10-15 days intervals before harvesting is helpful in controlling the insect. Major Diseases

19. Red-ripe fruit is picked, and macerated mechanically to separate the seeds. Early harvest of immature fruits will affect germination. Seeds are cleaned to free pulp and skins and dried in the partial sun to below 8 percent moisture content before storage. The ripe chilies are dried under the sun. Around 100-200 kg/ha of seed is produced depending on the variety Harvesting and Seed yield

20. Soil Solarization - a novel method of weed control. By- N. T. Yaduraju,1997. Division of Agronomy, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi-110012, India. Weed science-Basics and Applications. By- T. K. Das, 2008. Jain Brothers publications, New Delhi. Vegetable crops of India. By- K. S.Yawalkar ,1985. Agri-Horticultural publishing house, Nagpur, India. Vegetable seed production- A technical manual published by Directorate of Human Resource Management, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, Haryana.2009/01 References

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