Transplant production techniques in integrated crop management of hot pepper (Capsicum spp.) under tropical lowland conditions

Effects of different methods of producing tranplants were investigated as a potential contribution to integrated crop management (ICM) of hot pepper (Capsicum spp.) in tropical lowlands. The techniques studied included roofing or screen-covering the nursery, producing transplants in pots and varying the duration of the transplant production period. Crop performance was measured during the nursery phase by variables such as proportion of emerged transplants, number of leaves per transplant and during the field phase by variables such as crop establishment, plant height and mid-fruiting time. Crop health was monitored by following the development of pests and diseases, such as thrips (Thrips parvispinus Karny), yellow tea mite (Polyphagotarsonemus latus Banks), anthraenose fruit rot (Colletotrichum spp.), blossom mould [Choanephora cucurbitarum (Berkeley & Ravenel) Thaxter], cercospora leaf spot (Cercospora capsici Heald & Wolf), southern blight (Sclerotium rolfsii Saccardo), and aphid-transmitted virusus (mainly CMV and CVMV). Crop production in the field was measured through yield of healthy fruits, mean weight per fruit and earliness of harvesting. Screen-covered nurseries protected seedlings from aphids and aphid-transmitted viruses during the nursery phase and enhanced mid-fruiting time and improved crop production during the field phase. Use of screen-covered nurseries could make application of pesticides during the nursery phase superfluous. After planting in the field, potted transplants established better and produced fruits earlier than bare-root transplants. A transplant production period of 1.5 months appeared optimal for plant growth and earliness of harvesting. Production of transplants in pots under a screen cover during 1.5 months is proposed as an element of ICM. During the field phase of the crop cultivation, healthy and vigorous transplants yielded better only when other elements of ICM, such as mulching, were included.