Chilli Cultivation is known as the most prominent and valuable crop of India. We use chilli in cuisine preparations. Because we add it as an ingredient in foods for making preparation spicy. Its origins are traced to Mexico. As per the latest data, In the world, India got the top rank in chilli production, followed by China, Peru, Spain and Mexico. Farmers especially grow the chilli in the Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh. We know some large chillies as bell peppers and we use them as vegetables.
Ideal Conditions for Chilli Farming
In the below section, you can get the best guidelines for chilli farming. For the ideal condition of chilli farming, you should also keep the information regarding which equipment is best in chilli farming. Several types of equipment are used in chilli farming, such as tractors, implements, and harvesters. For chilli farming, the Mahindra 475 tractor is the best in agriculture. Along with this, we can suggest the Swaraj 735 tractor. Here we are describing the ideal conditions for chilli farming.
Climatic Requirements
Chilli requires a combination of warm and humid dry weather because it is a tropical and subtropical plant. During the growth period, it requires humid and warm weather. However, for fruit maturity, dry weather is suitable.
The temperature range of 20⁰-25⁰C is ideal for the growth of chillies. On the other hand, fruit development is affected at 37⁰C or more. Likewise, in case of heavy rains, the plant wilts and rots. However, the bud does not develop properly in low moisture conditions during the fruiting period. Therefore, flowers and fruits may drop. In other words, a relatively low humidity level and high temperature can lead to flowers, and if developed, the fruit will be very small.
Soil for Chilli Cultivation
During the growth, chilli requires moisture. It has been found that black soil with Moisture retention is ideal if farmers grow it as rainfed crops. Under irrigated conditions, the crop requires well-drained sandy loam with rich organic content. They can also grow in deltaic soils under irrigated conditions. In hilly areas like Uttarakhand, the soil is mixable with gravel and coarse sand before cultivating chillies.
Water Requirement for Chilli Cultivation
Chilli does not require a lot of water for planting. Heavy water would result in plants rotting. You should use ample water while irrigating crops. If you are using frequent water, you attain the shedding of flowers and the best growth of vegetables. The amount of water frequency depends on the soil type and climatic conditions. During the day, if the leaves start dropping, it indicates water requirements. Likewise, if the flowers seem weak and do not have enough vigour, irrigating the crop would be helpful. Some farmers start to irrigate once the soil moisture content drops below 25%.
Land Preparation for Chilli Cultivation
You plough the land 2 to 3 times and bring it to a fine tilth while cultivating the chillies. You must remove the gravel stones and extra unwanted material present in the soil. If farmers sow the seeds directly, then carry out the last ploughing cycle. However, you must properly sterilise your soil so it can be disease-free.
Diseases Management in Chilli Plantation
Chillies are prone to bacterial wilt, dieback, powdery mildew, leaf spot, anthracnose, fruit rot, and mosaic disease. The best way to check growth and spread is to use resistant strains for sowing and conduct regular manual inspections. You should immediately remove the affected plants when you detect the disease. Also, spraying Trichoderma and Pseudomonas species will help prevent the spread of the disease.
Pest Management
Nematodes, aphids, mites, thrips, pod borers, grubs, etc., are the major pests of chilli cultivation. Therefore, you should ensure that only well-decomposed manure is required at the time of application of farmyard manure. Intercropping with onions will help prevent pest attacks. Neem cake at 100 kg per acre helps keep the root grubs away. Some farmers keep hay in the haystack at designated places in the field. Flies gather in these heaps, and the heap is burned in the morning. In this way, the life cycle is disturbed, and potential grubs are destroyed. Neem seed kernel extract apply to control thrips and mites. Similarly, the installation of pheromone traps helps in controlling the fruit borer.
Economic Importance of Chilli Crop
Chilli is widely used in the kitchen. Due to the presence of capsaicin, chillies have a pungent but pleasant taste which is the main reason why it is valued in the kitchen. It is also a good source of oleoresin, which is a major flavouring agent in the food processing industry. Oleoresin is extracting from chillies and exported to European countries. We can use this chilli in skin ointments and prickly heat powders.
With the guidance of chilli farming, you should also know the agriculture equipment, such as tractors, implements, and harvesters. Now we are guiding about tractors. For chilli farming, the Massey Dynatrack tractor is the best in agriculture. Along with this, we can suggest the Swaraj tractor.
For more information regarding the chilli cultivation Blogs in India, stay tuned with us.
