Hot pepper Farming and Management
Hot peppers are short-lived herbaceous perennial plants with a densely branched stem that is sometimes woody at the base. The plant reaches 0.5 – 1.5 m in height. Hot pepper fruit varieties are generally smaller and thinner than the sweet pepper.
Hot pepper as a fruit is used in raw salads, marinades and food garnishes or used together with other ingredients to produce a hot sauce (or ‘pepper sauce’) which is used as a condiment to impart a warm to hot pungency to food.
Hot peppers may also be canned, pickled, made into jellies and relishes, dried or smoked. Milder types of hot peppers may be used in much the same way as the hotter types to impart an aromatic ‘pepper’ flavour without too much pungency and is mostly preferred. Hot peppers can also be stir fried, pickled or stuffed with savory mixtures of meat or cheese.
Hot peppers are excellent sources of vitamin C, vitamin A and most of the B vitamins (particularly vitamin B6 ). They contain about 83% water, 3% protein, 7% fibre, 6% carbohydrate, 0.6% fat and where the highest levels are observed in the ripe fruit. Hot peppers also contain significant amounts of potassium, magnesium and iron.
Recommended Varieties
Only large varieties are grown for commercial purposes, which include the following:
(i) West Indies Red
The pepper is large, light green with a brilliant sheen at maturity, and gives excellent yields. This Hot pepper variety was developed in the Caribbean and therefore performs well with excellence in the region.
This hot pepper variety is highly resistant to a number of the diseases that normally affect peppers. The West Indies Red has commendable storage life and its thick walls make it excellent for export.
(ii) Scotch Bonnet
This is the most variable Hot pepper of domestic species and the most wide- spread within Latin America. Large-fruited, thick-walled types, which are used fresh, are common in the Caribbean, while in costal parts of the Andean region, this-walled types which are used dried, also occur. The Hot pepper Fruit can be extremely pungent and aromatic, with persistent pungency when eaten.
(iii) Caribbean Green
This Hot pepper variety has a fully developed berry which has a deep dark green color before it turns dark red. The length of the Hot pepper berry is 3.76 cm and the width is 3.32 cm resulting in a blocky shape. The fruit wall thickness is 2.6 mm and the number of locules per fruit is 4. It takes an average of 85 berries to weigh a kilogram.
(iv) Caribbean Red
This Hot pepper variety has a fully developed berry which is pale light green to cream color. The average Hot pepper fruit length is 4.2 cm and the average width is 2.8 cm giving the fruit an elongated shape. It takes an average of 89 berries to weigh a kilogram and the fruit wall thickness is 1.2 mm.
(v) Habanero
The habaneros Hot pepper varieties are high yielding varieties and are very adaptable to local tropical conditions. There are 4 basic Hot pepper varieties of habanero which are originally from the Caribbean and South America. The pepper vary enormously in size and shape according to the variety, ranging from berries ¼ inch in diameter and pods of up to 5 inches long. Caribbean habaneros Hot peppers are often flattened at the end and resemble a tam or bonnet. The Hot pepper pods are green at immaturity and range from red, orange, yellow or white at maturity. They have a distinct ‘apricot like’ fruit aroma and can hold their flavor, heat and aroma during storage.
Environmental Requirements
Just as Sweet peppers, Hot peppers are considered to be warm season and day-neutral plants that require about the same growing conditions as the other members of the Solanaceae family, for example, tomato and boulanger.
Climate
Hot peppers grow well at wide range of altitudes with rainfall between 600 to 1250 mm per annum. Most Hot pepper cultivars cannot tolerate flooded conditions. Seeds germinate best at 25-30 °C. Optimal temperatures for productivity of Hot pepper range between 18 to 30 °C. Excess rainfall and temperatures between 32°C - 35°C, cause severe loss of Hot pepper blossoms.
Soil
Hot peppers are tolerant to a wide range of soil conditions. However, it grow best when the soils are fertile medium loams and well-drained soils with a soil pH of 5.5 to 6.8.
Land Preparation
(a) Site selection
Hot peppers should be grown in open areas free from shade or overhanging trees. You should avoid areas heavily infested with nut-grass. Clay, sandy and stony soils should be avoided growing your Hot pepper, this is in addition to waterlogged areas or areas prone to flooding. Sandy loam or silt loam soils are best.
Your selected site should be free from flooding as hot pepper cannot tolerate water logging conditions. Accessibility to a good water source and road infrastructure will allow for greater efficiency in your Hot pepper farming as you can easily use machinery for land preparation and transport. The land should be located such that security can be carried out easily in order to prevent predial larceny during your farming period.
(b) Land preparation
Soils on your selected site for Hot pepper cultivation should be well ploughed to depths of 30 cm (12”). The addition of pen manure or organic matter to the soil assist the plants in early establishment and development. You should ensure the land is well drained. You should prepare ridges or raised beds along the contours.
Seedling production
You should always use healthy seeds to guarantee good germination of healthy, vigorous Hot pepper seedlings. One hundred grams of seed have approximately 20,000 seeds, enough to plant two and a half (2½) acres of your land. Hot pepper seeds germinate within 8 to 12 days. They grow slowly in the initial stages
Planting
Hot pepper planting should be planned taking into consideration the following:
- Time to harvest for the market.
- Availability of water and labor for planting and establishment.
Your Hot pepper seedlings should be at least four to six (4-6) weeks old at transplanting and should be best done in the afternoon. Hot pepper seedlings can be placed in holes filled with well cured manure to cover the root system of the plants. Care should be taken to avoid damage to the roots. The transplanted Hot pepper seedlings can be drenched with a soil insecticide. (e.g. Fastac) to prevent attack by mole cricket. A fertilizer e.g. 10:52:10 or 12:24:12 should be applied to encourage good rooting.
Spacing
Transplant seedlings onto raised beds or on ridge and furrow, should be spaced at 3ft between rows and 2ft within rows. Closer spacing can make the Hot pepper fruits difficult to harvest and also results in damaged plant.
Water requirements
Hot pepper plant require large amounts of water - 5 litres per plant per day. You should make sure the soil in your field remains moist as much as possible. As a general rule, watering should be on a ‘little and often’ basis during the period of establishment, and then in greater quantities as the plant develops. When Hot pepper harvesting begins, it is usual to reduce watering a little. Too much water facilitates bacterial and fungal diseases.
Fertiliser application
You should apply Urea - 66 kg/ha, Triple Super Phosphate (TSP) – 75 kg/ha and Muriate of Potash – 80 kg/ha, depending on soil test results.
Weed Control
Manual weed control should be encouraged in your Hot pepper field during the entire crop life, the use of plastic mulches depresses weed growth significantly. Care should be taken when spraying herbicides between plants from spray drifts.
Harvesting
Hot pepper harvesting starts at 2 ½ - 3 months and should be done on a weekly or bi-weekly basis depending on the market demand and can continue for up to 6-8 months.
Hot pepper fruit stalk should be pulled slightly in an upward motion at the point where the stalk is attached to the plant stem to minimize branch breakage and damage to the plant. Harvesting should be done in cool dry conditions with great care to ensure delivery of good quality produce.