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Chilli production technology
By Dr Ali Muhammad Khushk and Bhugro
Mal
Chillies are produced seasonally but consumed throughout the
year. The pods are marketed both in green and red or natural
form. Its cultivation involves heavy
labour and capital inputs.
There exists a great scope for its export.
 Chillies
require warm and humid climate for growth and dry weather
during maturity. The crop comes up well in tropical and
sub-tropical regions but it has a wide range of adaptability
and can withstand heat and moderate cold. It can be grown over
a wide range of altitudes from sea level up to nearly 2,100
metres. Heavy rainfall leads to rotting of the crop.
Unfavourable temperatures lead to bud blossom and fruit drops.
Nurseries are raised on well prepared one metre wide and three
meters long strip. Before broadcasting the seeds, straws or
farm yard manure is burned on the strips after which seeds are
broadcast and pressed in the soil and covered with a thin
layer of soil. These are then covered with layers of straws
supported by wooden sticks with water application in the
morning and evening till the seeds germinate. After
germination straw is removed and water is applied after every
4-5 days. Within six weeks seedlings
become ready for transplanting.
Chillies are grown on soils with light sands to well drained
clay. Silty and clay loam soils are better, while water-logged
and alkali is not suitable. Soils selected are prepared
thoroughly for getting good yields. As roots of chillies go
one foot deep, therefore, deep ploughing is necessary. Two
ploughing with mould board plow followed by global plow are
done, levelling the soil for even distribution of water and
fertilizer. About 30-40 cart loads
of well rotten farm yard manure per acre are added one month
before transplanting the chillies.
After land preparation, ridges of one and half foot high and
wide are prepared. Transplanting is done on both sides of the
ridges and distance between each plant is maintained at one
and a half foot. Care is taken to avoid plants on both sides
of ridges to face each other as this leads to dense plant
population causing hindrances in weeding, harvesting, spraying
etc. Transplanting is preferable done in the evening, because
in morning seedlings can not withstand noon temperatures.
After transplantation two watering are applied so that plants
develop roots. Subsequent irrigation is applied as per
climatic conditions.
Chillies varieties grown in Sindh are Ghotki, Longi, Talhar
and Sanam. The Ghotki variety is grown in Ghotki, Khairpur,
Shikarpur and Kotri in February and March. Fruits of this
variety are thin long, straight, or curved with little
quantity of seeds inside. It is an early variety and farmers
get good price for this variety.
Longi is grown in Mirpurkhas, Nawabshah, Sanghar and
Tharparkar districts. Nursery of this variety is raised in
January, February and transplanting is done in March and
April. Its fruits are small round, full with pungent seeds.
This variety is familiar with growers because they get more
prices. Its yield potential is 35-50 maunds per acre.
Talhar is grown in Badin, Thalhar and Tando Muhammad Khan and
some areas of Hyderabad. This is a late variety. Nursery is
raised in June, July and transplanting done in August. Its
fruits are long, thick, just like finger and straight. Fruits
are less pungent if supplied in green stages. Its yield
potential is 80-100 maunds per
acre.
Sanam is mostly grown in Karachi division, but is successfully
grown in Mirpurkhas and Hyderabad districts, also. This is
grown both in winter and summer. Its fruits are long and
cylindrical. This variety is fairly resistant to frost and
diseases. Its yield potential is 100-150 maunds per acre.
Recommended fertilizer dose for chillies is one bag of DAP and
one of potassium sulphate before sowing, and two to three bags
of urea, one bag is applied after 20 days of transplanting and
the second at flowering stage, and third, if necessary, at
fruit setting.
For checking weeds it is necessary that first interculturing
is completed within one month after transplanting. Three to
four interculturings are necessary for controlling the weeds.
At flowering stage, earthling up is recommended which helps in
the growth and development of the crop. It prevents the crop
from lodging.
Rot and die back caused by
Colletotrichurn capsici and bacterial wilt are two
major diseases of chillies. Careful seed selection, adoption
of phytosanitary measures, early removal of affected plants,
seed treatment with vitavax help in control and prevention of
diseases. Disease tolerant varieties are used, while rouging
of the affected plants helps in checking mosaic virus.
Green chillies are picked early in the morning or in the
evening. These are protected from the sun to avoid quality
deterioration. Ripe fruits are harvested at frequent
intervals. Retaining fruits for a long period on the plant
causes wrinkles and colour fading. Soon after the harvest, the
produce is heaped or kept in clean gunnies for one day for
uniform colour development of pods. Sun-drying is necessary to
ensure complete dryness. Levelled and compacted floor is made
for drying. From the fifth day onwards, the produce is
inverted on alternate days so that pods in the lower layers
are brought up to ensure quick and uniform drying. To avoid
microbial activity and aflatoxin
production, the moisture in dried pods need to be
brought down to 10 per cent.
Since the produce is exposed to sun for 10-15 days in open
yards, it is likely to get contaminated with foreign matter.
This also results in poor colour for the product due to the
bleaching effect of sun-rays. The produce can be dried within
a period of 18 hours by using air drier for maintaining the
temperature at 44-46C. The method
not only saves time of drying operation but also imparts deep
red colour and glossy texture to the produce. Solar drier and
tray drier can be used. While drying, the produce is covered
with polythene sheets during night to avoid dew deposition and
colour fading. Grading is done to remove defective and
discoloured pods. Packing is done in gunny bags, or jute
boras.
Socio-economics research study conducted by the Technology
Transfer Institute Tandojam revealed that there were price
fluctuations in chillies. At the start of the season these
were reported at Rs1,900 to 2,000 per
40kg. Whereas, in 3rd and 4th picking the prices
obtained were Rs1,600 to 1,780.
The highest retail price recorded was Rs2,000 per 40kg for
first pick. In the international market, prices of both whole
and chillies powder varied depending on the cleanliness,
pungency, colour, and appearance of the product. Generally 0.7
per cent capsaicin is the minimum level for the extraction
market. Product with more than one per cent capsaicin fetches
premium in international market.
Courtesy: The Dawn
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