Introduction

The fruits of vegetable chilli are bell - shaped with less or no pungency. The green pods are used as vegetable. Locally it is called "simla chilli". Fruit contains very high quantities of Vitamin A and Vitamin C.

Season

• Vegetable chilli mostly grown as rabi crop in Medak, Ranga Reddy districts and surrounding areas of Hyderabad.
• The night temperatures for 30-45 days after sowing should be between 10-17oC is very congenial for growing this crop.

Soils

• Fertile, well-drained soils are suitable.
• High pH soils are not suitable for this crop.

Nursery Management

• Six raised beds of 1m width and 5m length will supply the seedlings sufficient to transplant one acre of main land.
• Sow 500 - 600g of seed on 30 m2 beds uniformly
• Treat the seed before sowing with 3g of thiram or Dithane M-45 with 1kg seed.
• Add 100 g of Carbofuran 3G granules to 30m2 seedbed at the time of sowing.
• Add well decomposed FYM or compost.
• To avoid fungal diseases in nursery spray any copper fungicide at 12th and 19th day after sowing.

Varieties

Varieties with fruits of different colours like dark green to yellow and of different sizes range from 5-30 cm length are available. I.A.R.I. recommended the following varieties for commercial cultivation.

California Wonder

Pods are green in colour and bigger in size. Duration is 140-150 days. Yield varies from 15-18 tonnes/ha. The following three varieties are released from I.I.H.R, Bangalore for commercial cultivation.

Arka Gaurav

• A pure line selection from the variety California wonders plants are indeterminate in growth with upright bearing habit.
• Fruits are dark green when mature, orange yellow on ripening blocking with 3-4 lobes
• Average fruit weighs 130-150g.
• Flesh is thick, juicy, non-pungent and with pleasant aroma.
• Storage and transport qualities are good
• Yield 15-20 t/ha in 125-150 days after transplanting.

Arka Basant

• A pure line selection from a highly variable population of the Hungarian variety "soroksan".
• Plants are semi - determinate in growth with up right bearing habit.
• Fruits are cream coloured, medium sized with 3-4 lobes, non-pungent and excellent for stuffed cooking.
• It yields 15-20 t/ha in 15-20 t/ha in 125-140 days after transplanting.

Arka Mohini

• A pure line selection from a highly variable population of variety "Titan" introduced from USA.
• Fruits are dark green when mature, red on ripening, blocking, 3-4 lobed, non pungent with pleasant aroma
• Average fruit weight 180-200 g.
• It yields 15-20 t/ha in 120 days after transplanting.

Green Gold

An F1 hybrid developed by Maharashtra Hybrid seed.

Nutrient Management

• After thorough main field preparation apply 20-25t of FYM before last ploughing.
• Sheep penning is highly advantageous
• In addition to FYM add neem cake @ 4-5 q/ha at the time of last ploughing.
• Add 60 kg P2O5 and 30 kg K2O at the time of planting.
• Transplant 35-40 days aged seedlings at a spacing of 60 cm between rows and 45 cm within the row.
• Add each time 20 kg N and 10 kg K2O at 45, 60 and 75 days after transplantation.
• Whenever an insecticide is sprayed on crop add 1% urea also along with insecticide.
• For every spray 8-10 kg urea is necessary.
• In case of zinc deficiency add 50 kg zinc sulphate/ha to soil or spray zinc sulphate @ 2g/litre of water.

Note: Intercultivation, Irrigation Schedule, Pest And Disease Managements Are Followed As In Chilli Cultivation.