Forcing culture of paprika pepper [Capsicum annuum] in soil culture, 2: Effects on growth and yield of spacing between plants, defoliation, and watering method in the non-pinching training side way

We investigated the effects of spacing between plants, defoliation, and watering method in the non-pinching training side way on growth and yield in the forcing culture of paprika pepper. 1. Plants were spaced at 10 cm (556 plants/a), 15 cm (370 plants/a), 20 cm (278 plants/a) and 25 cm (222 plants/a) with a ridge width of 180 cm. As the spacing between plants became narrower, the number of nodes and the number of flowers on each main branch decreased, the rate of fruit-set and harvested fruits for each main branch decreased, and one fruit weight was less. The number of harvested fruits per unit area increased at 15 cm near equal 10 cm20 cm25 cm in that order, and the yield of marketable fruits increased at 15 cm 10 cm20 cm25 cm in that order. The rate of marketable fruits was almost the same in each case, but the rate of highly qualified fruits was less in plants grown at 10 cm spacing. 2. When the leaves of main branches and lateral branches were removed leaving 5 nodes below the fruit-set node, the rate of harvested fruits for each main branch was less. In addition, the number of harvested fruits in per unit area decreased as compared with the plants where 10 nodes were left below the fruit-set node. When 15 nodes were left below, the number of nodes for each main branch, the rate of fruit set and harvested fruits for each main branch, the number of harvested fruits per unit area and the rate of marketable fruits were almost the same. However, one fruit weight was larger, and the yield of marketable fruits increased by 9% as compared with plants with 10 nodes left below. 3. When the watering point was pF1.7 and the watering volume was 7.5 L/square m, the number of nodes for each main branch was almost the same. However, the rate of fruit set and harvested fruits for each main branch were higher remarkably, and the number of harvested fruits was increased when compared with the watering point of pF2.0, and a watering volume of 5.0 L/square m. The rate of marketable fruits and one fruit weight were almost the same, and the yield of marketable fruits increased by 13% in the former case.