| CHILLIES TECHNICAL | |||
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Introduction
The varieties under cultivation differ in the size, shape, colour and pungency of the fruits. The fruits may be thin and long large and thick, short and bell-shaped, small and round. The unripe fruits may be green, creamy, yellow or orange. Similarly, the ripe fruits may be of different shades of red. They variety with bell-shaped fruits is the least pungent and is cooked as an ordinary vegetable. Capsicum annum and G. frutescens are the two principle species grown in India and the varieties of the former constitute the chief source of the dry chilli of commercial use. Crop improvement research at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, has produced `NP 41’, a high-yielding pungent chilli and `NP 46’, another pungent chlli resistant to thrips. `Hybrid 5-1-5’ is high-yielding and suitable for the production of green chillies. Among the non-pungent vegetable types, two American varieties, `World Beater’ and `Bell Pepper’, and one Russian variety, `R 449’ are high-yielders. In Andhra Pradesh, the improved varieties, `G-1’, `G-2; `G-3’, `G-4’, `G-5’, and four cultures, `X-200’, `Ca. 960’, `X-196’ and `X-197 are high-yielding and are fast spreading in the state. The variety `G-1’ is high-yielding and tolerant to thrips, has a persistent ealyx and a highly suited for export. `G-3’ responds well to higher doses of fertilizers. `G-4’ is strain suitable for producing green chillies. It has a mild pungency and low seed content. It is more productive and more tolerant to pests and diseases than `G-3’. `G-5’ is a short-pod variety. According to the scientists, the main reason for the low yield of chillies in India is due to the use of open pollinated varieties. The yield in Punjab in the past two years was high due to the use of F1 hybrids which take lesser time to mature, have higher fruit weight and higher recovery on drying. The scientists at the Rajasthan Agricultural University have developed a new variety of chilli, RCH-1, which has become very popular with the farmers in the state because of its high yield of 1,120 kgs per hectare. The other common variety seed being used in Rajasthan is 'Pusa Jwala'. Rajasthan cultivates blood red coloured, very hot and pungent chillies. In 1996-97, about 1,700 farmers in 5 districts in Punjab had taken up the cultivation of chillies for PEPSI which required it for making chilli paste and powder for export. In 1995-96, about 2,000 acres of land in Punjab was put under chilli and the output was 4,000 tonnes. In 1996-97, the area went up to 3,500 acres and the output to 8,000 tonnes. The company is producing chilli plantlets by tissue culture in its own farms in Maikhurd in Punjab and supplies them to farmers under a buy-back guarantee to produce and supply 2 tonnes chillies per acre at a pre-determined price. Any surplus output is allowed to be sold in the market by the farmer. In 1995-96, Pepsi had produced only chilli paste. In 1996-97, the company produced chilli powder also.The land is ploughed and harrowed 3 or 4 times to obtain a fine tilth. About 100 cartloads of farmyard manure or compost per hectare are applied at the last ploughing. The land for irrigated chilli is laid out into beds, 2-3 square metres, or is made into ridges ˝ to 1 metre apart. Some farmers also do sheep-penning and pen about 5,000 sheep per hectare, in addition to the application of manure. Green-manuring is recommended for the areas of assure rainfall and also for the irrigated crop. In addition, 60 kg of N, 30 kg of P2O5 and 50 kg of K2O and 50 kg of K2O per ha for the irrigated crop are applied as a basal dressing. The chilli is generally transplanted, though direct sowing is also done in certain parts of the country, especially is Andhra Pradesh. Seeds taken from healthy, well-matured fruits selected for the purpose are mixed with ashes and sown evenly in well-mannered nursery- beds. Beds are generally 1-2 m wide and 15 cm high, with channels between the beds to facilitate the drainage of excess water. About 110-1200 g of seeds sown in 0.01 ha will give sufficient seedlings to transplant in one hectare. The treatment of seed with Coercion or Agoras GN, as a plant-protection measure against seed-borne diseases, is desirable. The seed is protected from the sun with thin mulch of straw or leaves. The mulch –is removed on the completion of germination in about 7-10 days. The seedlings are irrigated every day and manured either with ammonium sulphate or with some oilcake. Spraying the crop with 1% Bordeaux mixture or some other copper fungicide during the third week after sowing is thinned, if necessary, and those growing too tall are sometimes topped. The seedlings are ready for transplanting in 40-45 days. They are generally transplanted on a cloudy evening preceding rain, or when it is actually drizzling. A shower at or after transplanting helps the seedlings to take a quick foothold; in the absence of it, a light watering is given. Seedlings are planted 45-60 cm apart in straight row ˝ to 1 m apart. In Karnataka, furrows, 60 cm apart, are opened with a country-plough along as well as across the field and two good seedlings; along with a handful of rotted cattle-dung, are planted at each point of intersection. For the irrigated crop, seedlings are planted along the water-line on one side of the ridges made 25-45 cm apart. Similarly, in beds a spacing of 45-60 cm is adopted. The irrigated crop is weeded and hand-hoed 3 or 4 times. Irrigation is given at 7-10 day intervals, depending on the season and the crop growth. The rain-fed crop is given 2 or 3 hoeing with bullock-drawn implements and sometimes earthed up to help the surplus rain-water to flow freely. The crop responds well to good cultivation, irrigation and manuring. The rain-fed crop is top-dressed with 20 kg of N per ha to be drilled in between the rows on the 45th day after planting, preferably a good shower. For the irrigated crop, 100-140 kg of N in 4-6 split doses, followed by a copious irrigation at fortnightly intervals, starting from the 45th day of planting is recommended to be top dressed. The crop becomes ready for harvesting in about 3/1/2 months after planting. The picking of ripe fruits continues for about 2 months and about 6-10 pickings are taken. If there is a demand for green chillies, the first one or two pickings are taken for this purpose. The summer crop is wholly disposed of as green chillies. Ripe fruits are picked along with stalks and are heaped indoors for 3 or 4 days for the partially ripe fruit to develop the proper red colour. They are then dried in the sun for 4 to 5 days, depending upon weather conditions and are graded for size and colour before marketing. Unripe chillies are sometimes boiled and dried for domestic consumption. Commercially, there are various grades, such as the first sort, the second sort, mixture, etc. Grades, such as special, medium and fair are also adopted. Good fruit length, shining red colour, high pungency and strong attachment of the calyx are the important factors, which the merchants consider for fetching a high price. In the USA and other countries, there is a liking for stalkless chilli pods of deep red and glossy pericarp. Artificial drying favours the retention of the deep and red colour and smooth and glossy pericarp, as the produce is dehydrated within a short period of 18 hours. Pods of `G-3’, which have a cup-shaped calyx and compressed base are reported retained intact since the thalamus portion, which is compressed, prevents shedding. |
