Chili is an important cash crop in our country. It is primarily known as a spice crop. It is in high demand both in its raw and ripe forms. Raw chili is rich in vitamins A and C. Chili is an essential ingredient for adding color, flavor almost all regions, but it is predominantly grown in the coastal areas and in Chittagong. According to statistics, chili is cultivated on approximately 102,000 hectares of land in Bangladesh during the Rabi and Kharif seasons, with a production of around 103,000 metric tons (dried chili). Many farmers in Bangladesh solely depend on chili production for their livelihood. There are two types of chili cultivation in Bangladesh: mild or non-pungent chili and pungent chili. Mild chili is used for pickling, green vegetables, and salads, whereas pungent chili is primarily used as a spice. It is small and elongated and it turns bright red due to the presence of capsaicin.
Different types of chili peppers
There are many local varieties of chili peppers, farmers choose the varieties based on market demand and the productivity of the local varieties. However, the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute has developed high-yielding varieties resistant to diseases and pests, such as Bari Mirch-1 (Bangla Lanka), Bari Mirch-2, and Bari Mirch-3, which are grown extensively in various regions of the country including Magura, Faridpur, addition, various hybrid chili pepper seeds, such as Jhilik and Bijli, are also available in the market.
Characteristics of Bari Mirch-2 developed by spice research
The plant is tall, bushy, and has an abundance of branches. The height of the plant ranges from 80-110 cm, and the color of the leaves is light green. The length of each chili pepper fruit is 7.00-1200 grams. The skin of this variety of chili pepper is smooth and it is suitable for cultivation during the summer, although it can be grown throughout the year. This variety lasts for 240 days in the field (March-October). It has relatively less vulnerability to diseases and pests. In the green stage, the fruit is light green, and in the ripe stage, it turns shiny red. It produces a yield of 20-22 tons per hectare in the green stage.
Cultivation Techniques
Soil and Weather
Chili peppers thrive in warm and humid weather conditions. The temperature range of 20-25 degrees Celsius is ideal for chili cultivation. The minimum temperature should not drop below 10 degrees Celsius, and the maximum should not exceed 35 degrees Celsius, as various problems can be observed in chili plants’ growth under extreme temperatures. Excessive rainfall can cause leaf shedding and plant wilting. Chili cultivation can be done in soils with good drainage, ranging from sandy-loam to clay-loam. Soil with a pH of 6-7 is considered optimal for chili cultivation. However, organic-rich loamy or sandy-loam soil is best suited for cultivation. If the soil is excessively wet, the flowers and fruits of chili plants may drop. Cultivating chili peppers in soil fortified with organic substances such as cow dung or poultry manure is beneficial. When the moisture content in the soil is 6-7, chili production is optimal.
Preparing the land
For winter chili cultivation, the extra parts of the land should be cut off by providing border on all sides. Then, deep plowing with 4-6 plows and tractors should be done. Before the final cultivation, the land should be leveled by plowing once with a soil rake. The soil should be loosened and leveled. Organic and chemical fertilizers should be applied before the final cultivation. Then, the beds should be prepared. It is good if the width of the bed is 1 meter. However, the length should be determined based on the size of the land. The height of the bed should be 10-15 cm. Two drains, 50 cm wide and 10 cm deep, should be kept for irrigation and drainage purposes.
Soil pH Adjustment
If the soil pH is less than 5.8-6.5, the soil becomes more acidic, which reduces the yield of chili. In this case, 1-2 kg of lime should be applied per 1% of land to adjust the soil pH.
Crop Season
Bari chili can be cultivated throughout the year. However, for the Rabi season, the suitable time for chili production is from 1-30 September, and for the Kharif season, it is from 15 February to 15 March.
Seedbed Preparation and Planting Method
Chili can generally be cultivated in two ways: 1. Direct seeding in the field, 2. Raising seedlings. For both Rabi and Kharif seasons, it is appropriate to make5 kg of seeds per hectare. Alternatively, if direct sowing is done, 6-7 kg of seeds per hectare are required. However, this method should only be followed during the Rabi season.
Seed Treatment
Before sowing the seeds, the chili seeds should be treated to reduce diseases and pests. The seeds can be treated with Probox fungicide. 2.5 grams of Probox-200 should be mixed with one liter of water to treat the seeds.
For seed treatment, the chili seeds should be soaked in the mentioned fungicide solution for 30 minutes, then dried in a shaded area for 10-15 minutes.
Care should be taken while using the chemicals and treated seeds.
Seed Sowing
Planting Method: Before sowing the seeds, soak them in water for 12 hours, and then lightly dry them in the shade. Mix 2 grams of Probox per kilogram of seeds and lightly sprinkle it on the seeds. Then, sow the seeds evenly in the main field. It should be remembered that the seeds should not go deeper than 1-1.5 cm into the soil. Sufficient moisture should be maintained in the field during sowing. If necessary, light irrigation should be done 2-3 days after sowing to promote seed germination. If direct sowing is done, the plants should be spaced 15-20 cm apart.
Planting chili peppers
Healthy seedlings at 35-40 days old, spaced at a distance of 50-60 centimeters (row to row) and 50-60 centimeters (plant to plant), with a planting depth of 3-4 centimeters, should be planted. Light watering should be done in the seedling bed every 2-3 days after planting.
Fertilizer Management and Application Method: stage of cultivation, full goat or compost, TSP (Triple Super Phosphate), gypsum, zinc, boron, and 125 kg of fertilizer should be applied. The remaining MOP (Muriate of Potash) and urea fertilizer should be applied to the soil in three installments at 25, 50, and 75 days after planting. Normally, fertilizer application is done in the morning or evening. After applying the fertilizer in each installment, excess water should be drained. In other words, fertilizer should be applied when there is no stagnant water in the field after watering. This helps to reduce the wastage of fertilizer.
Hormone Application:
The use of a hormone called Planofix has been found to reduce flower drop and increase yield in chili peppers. One milliliter of Planofix should be mixed in 4.5 liters of water and sprayed on all the plants. The hormone should be applied for the first time when the flowers appear and again of the mixture is required per hectare of land.
Pruning:
The amount of pruning depends on the amount of foliage in the field. If there is more foliage, more pruning should be done. Therefore, there should not be excessive foliage left in the field.
Leaf Trimming:
For chili peppers, leaf trimming should be done in 25-30 days after planting in 2-3 steps. About 12- should be maintained per meter.
Irrigation:
Excessive moisture in the soil cannot be tolerated by chili peppers, and excessive irrigation can cause the plants to grow taller and drop flowers. Irrigation should be done at about 3/4th of the soil moisture. Adequate moisture should be maintained in the soil during flowering and fruiting.
“Malching”
After plowing the land, it is necessary to level the soil by removing any debris and ensure that it is well ventilated to promote the growth of healthy plants.
Harvesting
The flowering, fruiting, and color development of chili peppers depend on the temperature, soil fertility, and the quality of the variety. In high temperatures, the fruit ripens quickly, while in cooler temperatures, it takes longer. Chili plants start producing flowers approximately 60-65 days after sowing the seeds. The fruiting begins 15-20 days after flowering. The fruit starts to ripen 20-25 days after fruiting. For transplanted seedlings, flowering begins approximately 35-40 days after planting, fruiting occurs within 55-60 days, and the fruit starts to ripen between 75 and 90 days. The chili peppers should be harvested when they are still green or fully ripe. To collect chili seeds, they need to be carefully removed from the middle portion of the plant. Ripe fruit can be harvested weekly. It is important to collect the fruit when it is still red and fully ripe to maintain its quality. Chili peppers that are harvested during dry weather tend to lose their color and quality. Therefore, it is advisable to harvest the fruit when it is still red and fully ripe. Chili peppers harvested during bright sunlight maintain their quality, allowing them to fetch higher market prices. During fruit picking, the stem attached to the plant and the stem of the fruit should be held and plucked.
Seed Preservation
Generally, thin-skinned and dry substances of chili pepper are easier to dry quickly, while those with thicker and fleshy skin take longer and are more difficult. After drying the chili peppers, they should be stored in a dry and shaded place. Tin containers, polythene bags, clay pots, gunny bags, ranging from six months to one year. However, using polythene bags and tin containers with double layers and placing chili peppers inside with polythene helps maintain the color and quality of the chili peppers. Preserved chili peppers stay in good condition when occasionally exposed to sunlight. It is important to keep an eye on the direction where the seeds of the chili peppers do not separate from the chili pepper itself. If the seeds separate from the chili pepper, it reduces the weight and quality of the chili pepper seeds. Placing a few pieces of charcoal or wood charcoal in preserved chili peppers helps keep them in good condition. In this case, the charcoal or wood charcoal absorbs excess moisture. As a result, it prevents easy attack of diseases or pests.
Disease Management
Generally, chili peppers are affected by various pathogens diseases of chili peppers:
Damping Off/Root Rot
Affected Stage – This disease occurs at the seedling stage.
Cause of the disease – It is caused by fungi such as Pythium and Rhizoctonia.
Symptoms of the disease – The seeds can rot soon after sowing, or the seedlings become weak and thin when they emerge from the soil. The seedlings may develop water-soaked lesions and eventually collapse, leading to death.
The pest control measures for chili include using Provek or Ridomil Gold at a rate of 2.5 grams per kilogram of seeds for seed treatment. Alternatively, the chili seeds can be soaked in hot water at a temperature of 52 degrees Celsius for minutes before sowing. For damping-off disease control, 2 grams of Cupravit or Austen should be mixed with 1 liter of water and applied to the soil around the affected plants.
This will help prevent damping-off disease and bring safety to the crops.
