Capisum is nutritive crop with high demand on knowledge. Capsium growing produces between 30 and 40 tones/ ha.
Introduction of protected cultivation technology is a domain for well educated farmers however, it is very profitable for livelihood security and economic growth.
Secondly, lifestyle change and purchasing power increases its demand. Construction of appropriate size protective structure which are insect proof shape night houses using granite pillars of 12ft height and suitable to agro climate is a good production unit. Others include wooden poly houses and naturally ventilated poly house.
Furthermore, site selection for structure erection is very important as it should be away from shade with flat land where wind blows at not more than 150km/hr with day and night temperatures of 25-35 and 18-20 degrees centigrade with 50-60% relative humidity.
Despite growing differently in different houses that is to say 8-10 ft height in net house and 10-12ft height in poly house, capsicum do best in well drained sandy – loamy soils where about 100 tones of well decomposed FYM is incorporated.
Capsicum planting
To continue with, well treated beds of 1m diameter and 15 cm height are formed, 20 kg of NPK are added as a basal doze with 600 kg neem cake, irrigation line are put and covered with plastic mulches containing uniform holes of 6-8 cm diameter.
Good quality seedlings of 35 days old are sprayed and transplanted at 45×30 cm spacing. However a day after planting, apply copper oxychloride to prevent mortality provide 2-3 litres of water/sqm to crops through in line drips, add water soluble fertilizer and 60 kg NPK/acre and start fertigation 1 month after planting. Continue fertigation twice a week till one month to harvest. Supplement with micro nutrients, prune and trim to maintain 4 branches and later support them using threads.
Managing pests
Important pests include aphids, nematodes and fruit borers while diseases are mildew, cercaspora leaf spot, bacterial blight, cytospora blight and viral disease which are managed by use of integrated approaches. Fruits are manually harvested, graded and marketed through societies.
