Cayenne/American pepper 309
soil moisture. Rice straw or other organic material, polyethylene plastic or their
combinations are used for mulching (Berke et al., 2005).
16.5.6 Irrigation and weed control
Pepper plants are fairly shallow-rooted and have low tolerance to drought or flooding.
The first light irrigation is given soon after transplanting followed by a second
irrigation after 3–5 days. Subsequent irrigations are given at weekly or fortnightly
intervals, depending upon the soil type and weather. Plants generally wilt and die if
water stagnates in the field for more than 48 hours. Phytophtora blight and bacterial
wilt may cause total crop loss following prolonged flooding (Berke et al., 2005). If
weed control is not adequate through mulch or mulch is not available, any one of the
following herbicides can be sprayed: Lasso (alachlor 43EC), Amex (butralin 47EC),
Devrinol (napropamide 2E or 10G) or Dual (metolachlor 8E or 25G). Usually herbicide
is applied 2–3 days after transplanting (Berke et al., 2005).
16.5.7 Crop protection measures
A number of diseases and insects attack pepper crops and many of them are common
throughout the world, while a few are specific to certain regions. A brief description
on the symptoms and control measures of economically important diseases and insect
pests have been summarized (Table 16.5). More detailed information may be obtained
from other sources (Bosland and Votava, 2000; Berke et al., 2005).
16.5.8 Harvesting and storage
Pepper fruits can be harvested either at the green immature or red mature stage.
Under favourable growing conditions, fruit production can continue for several months.
Fruits are stored in a cool, shaded, dry place until they are sold. At typical tropical
ambient temperature and humidity (28 ∞C and 60% RH), fruits may last unspoiled for
1–2 weeks. Anthracnose is the major cause of spoilage of dry fruits. Drying of fruits
in the sun is a common practice, but this tends to bleach the fruits, and rainfall and
dew promote fruit rot (Berke et al., 2005).
16.6 Conclusions.....................................................................................
The impact of the discovery by Columbus of a pungent spice was beyond imagination
as it was confused with black pepper of the East Indies. Nevertheless, today hot
peppers dominate the world spice trade and are commercially grown everywhere in
the tropical and subtropical regions (Eshbaugh, 1993). Similarly, sweet peppers have
become indispensable vegetables in the temperate regions and are gaining vast popularity
in the tropical regions as well. Furthermore, pepper is also emerging as an industrial
crop as fruits are used as raw materials in the food, feed, cosmetic and medicine
industries. The recent discovery of new medicinal properties of carotenoids and
capsaicinoids present in pepper fruits could be seen in the light of the huge potential
of this crop of New World origin to become an even more versatile crop in world
agriculture.