Pepper
Production
Guide
What is Pepper?
Pepper is one of the common vegetables that belong to
the Nightshade or Solanaceae family. It is a popular
vegetable ingredient for Filipino dishes. It is used in the
preparation of sauces, pickles and as favoring ingredient
of various recipes.
LARGE VARIETIES OF PEPPER
01 Sweet pepper/Capsicum
annuum
02 Hotpepper/Capsicum
frutescens
SOIL AND CLIMATIC REQUIREMENTS
Pepper grows in any type of soil however, it performs best in
sandy loam to clay loam soils rich in organic matter with
suffcient moisture and good drainage.
Pepper is a sun-loving crop. It is usually planted from May to
September during the wet season and October to February during
the dry season.
VARIETAL SELECTION
For better yield and proft, select varieties that
are adaptable to local conditions, resistant to
insect pests and diseases and with market
preference
SEEDBED METHOD
Choose a level area fully exposed to sunlight, accessible to source of
water,with good drainage and provided with windbreaks. Plow and harrow
the feld alternately until the soil attained fine tilt. Construct five (5)
seedbeds measuring 1x10 m at 15 cm high.
Add Sterilize the seedbed to kill weed seeds and pathogens present in the soil.
To sterilize, moisten the prepared seedbed for better heat penetration. Spread
about 3 to 5 cm thick of either rice straw or rice hull on top of the seedbeds
and burn slowly. Remove unburned materials and excess ash. To avoid toxic
efects of the burned materials, do not sow seeds immediately after
sterilization.
SEEDLING TRAYS/ POTLETS
Raising seedlings in tray or potlets requires less
seeds, promotes uniform growth of seedlings,
minimizes transplanting shock and lessens
seedling mortality. It also saves labor for
thinning, weeding, watering, and pest
management.
Prepare soil mixture or media composed of one (1)
part compost, one part carbonized rice hull (CRH), and
one part garden soil. Sterilize the garden soil by
roasting method. Mix the garden soil with the othe
media one (1) day afer sterilization.
SEEDLING TRAYS/ POTLETS
Fill the holes of the trays or potlets with the media. Use seedling
trays with 100-104 holes. Commercial or ready-mixed growing
medium are also available from agriculutural dealers in the locality
SOWING
A hectare of farm requires 100-200 g of seeds. One
gram is approximately 250 seeds. To hasten
germination, soak the required amount of seeds in
clean water overnight. Air-dry the seeds before
sowing.
Water the seedbeds before sowing. Prepare rows at a
distance of 5 cm with the use of a stick. Drill the seeds
evenly in the furrows and cover with fne soil.
When using seedling trays or potlets, sow one seed
per hole or potlet at a depth of 1.0 cm and cover with
fne soil. Sprinkle the trays/potlets with water afer
sowing.
CARE FOR SEEDLINGS
1. Water the seedlings preferably in the morning. The
amount of water to be applied should be just enough to keep
the soil moist. Over-watering favors damping-of and
production of weak seedlings
2. Thin seedlings that are over-crowded 3-5 days afer
emergence (DAE) or when the seedlings have developed the
frst 2-3 true leaves. Prick the thinned seedlings in seedbeds,
trays or potlets intended for this purpose. Water the pricked
seedlings and place in a shaded area until these have
recovered.
CARE FOR SEEDLINGS
3. To produce healthy seedlings, apply starter solution of 2
tbsp ammonium phosphate (16-0-0) or complete fertilizer
(14-14-14) dissolved in 4 liters of water at 10 DAE. Drench the
solution evenly to the seedlings. Water the seedlings afer
applying the fertilizer solution to prevent leaf injury.
4. Protect the seedlings from excessive sunlight and rain.
Construct a temporary shade using locally available materials
such as cogon, talahib or coconut leaves and recycled plastic
sack. Put posts of the shade about 120 cm high on the east
side and about 60 cm high on the west side.
CARE FOR SEEDLINGS
5. One week before transplanting, harden the seedlings to
prepare them to direct feld condition. Gradually expose the
seedlings to direct sunlight. For the frst day, expose the
seedlings up to 10 o’clock in the morning and increase
duration every day until the seedlings can withstand the heat
of the sun the whole day. However, make sure that the
seedlings do not wilt severely. Hardening could also be done
by gradually reducing the amount of water and frequency of
watering.
CULTURAL MANAGEMENT PRACTICES
Land Preparation
Prepare the land thoroughly to prevent the
growth of weeds. Plow and harrow the felds
alternately 2-3 times at one week interval to
attain good soil tilt.
Prepare furrows at a distance of 80 cm. Pepper can be
planted in double-row method. Prepare furrows in pairs
at a distance of 35 cm between the two rows and 75 cm
between double rows. Planting in doubles rows provides
the developing fruits adequate protection against sun
burning.
CULTURAL MANAGEMENT PRACTICES
Transpalanting
Transplant the seedlings 30-40 days afer sowing
(DAS). Prior to transplanting, water the seedbeds
to facilitate pulling. Pull seedlings carefully using
a trowel or pointed stick. Do not wash or remove
the soil adhering to the roots to minimize root
injury and promote faster recovery. If seedlings
are raised in trays or potlets, transplant the
seedlings together with the soil media. Transplant
during cloudy days or late in the afernoon to
avoid wilting.
CULTURAL MANAGEMENT PRACTICES
Fertilizer Application
To achieve optimum yield, apply the right kind
and amount of fertilizer at the right time. To
determine the fertilizer requirement of the crop,
submit soil samples for analysis at the Regional
Soils Laboratory of the Department of
Agriculture, Regional Field ofce No. 02,
Tuguegarao City, Cagayan or at Ilagan Soils
Laboratory, Ilagan City, Isabela. In the absence
of soil analysis, follow the general
recommendation indicated in Table 2.
CULTURAL MANAGEMENT PRACTICES
Irrigation
Water is very important especially during the dry months to
produce good quality fruits. Depending on soil moisture, irrigate
the feld 4-5 times from transplanting to frst harvest, as follows:
1st - at transplanting
2nd - 14 days afer transplanting (DAT)
3rd - 30 DAT
4th - 50 DAT
Final irrigation is done a week before harvesting.
CULTURAL MANAGEMENT PRACTICES
Weeding and Cultivation
Weeds compete with the crop for nutrients, sunlight and moisture.
Prevent the growth of weeds by of-barring at 10 DAT followed by
hilling-up at 30 DAT. Hilling-up also facilitates irrigation. Avoid
deep cultivation to prevent root injury to the plants. Handweed
between hills.
CULTURAL MANAGEMENT PRACTICES
Pest Management
Various pests afect pepper vegetable during its growing period.
Insect pests and diseases reduce yield, lower the quality of produce
and increase cost of production.
The common insect pests of pepper are aphids, spider mites
and leaf [Link] most destructive diseases are bacterial and wilt
and anthracnose.
Prevent the occurence of pests by practicing feld sanitation,
plant resistant vaieties, crop rotation and as last recourse, spray
pesticide following the manufacturer’s recommended dosage. In
case of disease infection, pull and burn infested plants.
CULTURAL MANAGEMENT PRACTICES
Harvesting
Harvesting of pepper starts at 60-75 DAT.
Harvest pepper at the mature green stage; when
the fruits have attained full size and appear waxy
and shiny. Harvest only fruits in good shape and
color, and fresh in appearance. Pick the fruit by
breaking the pedicel with an upward twist or by
cutting the peduncle with a sharp knife.
Classify the fruits according to size and
ripeness. Discard. damaged or rotten fruits
before packing. Pack in polyethylene plastic bags
or boxes before marketing.
Thank You