Transcript Module I: About Chili Pepper - University of Massachusetts

Module I: About Chili Pepper
Lesson 3: Growth of Chili Pepper plant
After completing this lesson, you have learned to
answer:
1. In how many days after germination the flowering
initiation starts?
2. How can you identify flowering in chili pepper?
3. What is physiological maturity in chili pepper?
4. How can you identify physiological maturity in chili
pepper?
5. In how many days chili pepper plant matures?
6. What is the optimum stage to harvest chili pepper?
Module I: About Chili Pepper
Lesson 3: Growth of Chili Pepper plant
The first stage of that is to get them to germinate. The main
requirements for a seed to germinate are heat, moisture
and oxygen.
It is possible to germinate your seeds in everything from
tissue paper to rock wool cubes, but the easiest
growing medium is soil.
Chile plants generally produce sets of leaves in pairs. The
first set are called the seed leaves, the next set will be
the first true set of leaves.
Module I: About Chili Pepper
Lesson 3: Growth of Chili Pepper plant
When your plants produce flowers you are in business.
This is where the fruit comes from.
Depending upon which variety you have decided to grow,
usually 3 to 4 weeks take to initiate flowering after
germination of seeds.
Chili pepper flowers are white. Flowerings starts when
plant get vigorous and healthy.
Module I: About Chili Pepper
Lesson 3: Growth of Chili Pepper plant
Physiological maturity of chili pepper comes one weeks
after flowering but depends on type purposes.
Green chili matured when pods looks dark green. Maturity
also indicates if you touch green chili on your tong.
Red ripen chili get harvested only for storage purpose and
ready to harvest when looks complete red.
Module I: About Chili Pepper
Lesson 3: Growth of Chili Pepper plant
Plant measurements were made on regular 14-day intervals and
the following growth stages were also identified: pre-bloom,
early bloom, peak bloom (also corresponded to early pod
development), physiological maturity (green chili), and red
harvest (complete phenological maturity).
Harvest the bagged pepper fruits when their color indicates that
they are ripe.
Module I: About Chili Pepper
Lesson 3: Growth of Chili Pepper plant
Normally the bagged fruits are harvested and kept in a cool,
dry place (25ºC and 50% RH) for a week to allow any slightly
immature fruits to ripen fully.
Chili pepper is hand harvested into baskets, then transported
to the packing shed. The crop is ready for harvest when the
fruits reach a size of 2 to 3 inches in length.
The first fruits may be ready to harvest 65 to 80 days after
transplanting. The crop will continue to bear for two to three
months. Chili peppers are harvested two or four times during
the season.