Chili (Capsicum annum)

Soil Preparation

• Deep ploughing 2–3 times for a fine tilth.
• Add well-decomposed FYM: 3–4 tons/acre.
• Soil pH: 6.0–7.5, well-drained with good organic content.

Sowing Time

Season Nursery Sowing Transplanting
Spring Jan–Feb March
Autumn June–July August

Nursery Management

• Prepare raised beds (10–15 cm high).
• Use Portible 2g/kg seed to prevent seedling diseases (damping-off).
• Light irrigation.
• Transplant after 35–45 days when seedlings are 5–6 inches tall with 5–6 true leaves.

Field Transplantation

Spacing:
Row to row: 2–2.5 feet
Plant to plant: 1.5 feet
• Transplant in evening/cloudy weather to reduce shock.

Fertilizer Application

Fertilizer Quantity per Acre Timing
DAP (18:46:0) 1.5 bags (75 kg) At transplanting
Urea (46% N) 1 bag (50 kg) Half at transplanting +
Half at flowering
SOP
(Sulphate
of Potash) 1 bag (50 kg) At fruit set

Potassium improves fruit size, color & disease resistance.

Irrigation Schedule

• First irrigation right after transplanting.
• Then every 7–10 days based on weather.
• Reduce watering during fruit ripening (for dry chillies).
• Avoid over-irrigation to prevent root rot.

Weed Management

Weed Damage Control Product
Purple Nutsedge (Deela) It returns from its tubers after every weeding and takes water and nitrogen from a shallow-rooted crop all season. Hand weeding 2-3 times in early stages
Horse Purslane (Itsit) It covers the ground around the new transplants in the first irrigations and takes the moisture they need to establish. Hoe it out within the first month after transplanting
Barnyard Grass (Swank) It rises above the short chili plants in the monsoon and shades the flowers, so buds drop and the picking falls. Pull it before it heads, or it seeds the field for next year
Common Purslane (Kulfa) It mats over the damp soil around the plants after each irrigation and takes the water the shallow roots need. Hoe it out while it is small and carry it off the field
Bermuda Grass (Khabbal) It comes in from the bunds and knots its runners into the roots, and it drinks water all season. Clear its runners in land preparation and keep the bunds clean

• Manual weeding: 2–3 times in early stages.
• Pre-emergence Herbicide:
• Pendimethalin 33% EC (e.g., Agritas Pendimethalin) — apply after transplanting but before weed emergence.

Pest Control

Pest Damage Product
Thrips Silvery streaks on the leaves, curling D-Pest™ 25% WP or Coupraze™ 25% WG
Aphids Stickiness on the leaves, leaves curling D-Pest™ 25% WP
Whitefly Leaves yellowing, virus carried in Nylar 10.8% EC (Pyriproxyfen)
Fruit Borer Holes in the fruit Veento™ 1.9% EC
Mites Leaves turning yellow Tueric™ 11% SC

Use a sticker in the spray so the product holds on the leaf.

Diseases and Control

Disease Symptoms Control
Damping-off Seedlings collapse in the nursery Carbendazim seed treatment
Leaf Curl Virus Leaves thicken and curl Rogue out infected plants and control whitefly
Anthracnose Black spots on the fruit Espot 50% SC
Powdery Mildew White layer on the leaves Vesant 80%
Die-back Branches drying back from the tip Cure Jet 72% WP

Protection Spray Schedule

Stage Problem Spray
Nursery Damping-off Portible (seed +
soil drench)

Early growth Thrips, aphids, whitefly Rancho™ 20 SP / Nylar 10.8% EC +
super jet

Flowering Fruit borer Emamectin
Benzoate / Worm Gen

Fruiting Anthracnose, Fruit rot Azoxystrobin +
Tebuconazole
(ESPOT)

Harvesting

• Green Chillies:

First picking: 70–80 days after transplanting.

Picking interval: Every 7–10 days.

• Dry Chillies:

Allow to fully ripen and dry on plant before picking.
Timely picking increases fruit setting and plant life.

For Expert Help & Products

Agritas UAN: +92 336 1111 130

Pests & diseases of Chili (Capsicum annum)

Thripsmedium Whiteflyhigh Aphidsmedium Stem Borerhigh Cutwormmedium Powdery Mildewmedium Damping Offhigh Fusarium Wilthigh Anthracnosemedium Zinc Deficiency (Khaira)medium Boron Deficiencymedium Nitrogen Deficiencymedium Iron Chlorosismedium Phosphorus Deficiencymedium Potassium Deficiencymedium Micronutrient Deficiencymedium