Factors to be followed in seedbed preparation of capsicum in polyhouse farming

 Capsicum (Capsicum annuum L. var. grossumSendt) commonly known as sweet pepper / bell pepper or Shimla mirch, is a member of the family Solanaceae. This crop is gaining popularity among farmers due to its quick and high returns. Capsicum is one of the leading vegetables grown in green houses. This is due to the high demand of Capsicum for making fast food dishes in hotels and modern restaurants. It is having greater value in 3 Star and 5 Star hotels for variety of food preparations. It is considered as a luxury vegetable as it is being used for the preparation of variety of Pizzas throughout the globe. It is rich in Vitamin A, Vitamin C (283 mg) and minerals like Calcium (13.4 mg), Magnesium (14.9 mg), Phosphorus (28.3 mg), Potassium (263.7 mg) per 100gm fresh weight.  Moreover, it is used for extraction of natural colours and preparing oleoresins and oils. Hence, Capsicum trade has become a profitable business for global trade in recent years. There is high demand for capsicum in UAE, USA, UK, Korea and Japan. Saudi Arabia and South Korea are leading importers of Capsicum. 

Cultivation of capsicum involves an art and it needs thorough knowledge on the quality of products for export market. To capture International Market, Green House Technology for growing capsicum is the basic need under Indian conditions.

Bed preparation

First of all the soil inside the structure is to be dug deeply to a depth of about 9 inches for two to three times followed by crushing the clods and bringing the soil to a fine tilth.  A raised bed of red laterite soil is always preferred for capsicum. Bed should be highly porous, well drained, providing adequate aeration for root development. Well-decomposed locally available organic manure at the rate of 20-25 kg per square meter of the bed is to be added. Then mix it thoroughly with soil and then the beds are to belevelled. In the case of heavy soils, it is better to mix sand/rice husk to provide proper aeration at the root zone. Afterwards beds are to be disinfected. For this, the beds are to be wet with irrigation water of neutral pH & EC less than 0.5ms/cm. Then, mix 10 ml of  H₂O₂ + silver mix (Huwa-San TR-50) in 1 litre of water (3.5% solution). Never mix any chemicals with H₂O₂ + silver. Apply this solution uniformly over moist bed at the rate of 1 litre per square metre. After that, leave the soil for 6 hours and then we can transplant the seedlings on the bed

 

Advantages of using H₂O₂ + silver mix:

Very easy and safe to use without any hazardous effect

Eco friendly and does not produce any phyto toxic effects to plants

Plantation can be carried out 6 hours after fumigation

 

After disinfecting the soil bed, trichoderma formulation is to be applied @ 200g / sq. m. of the bed and to be mixed thoroughly before planting. Neem cake - trichoderma formulation can be prepared as given below. 

First of all neem cake is to be powdered, then slightly water to moisten and keep it for two days. Next day it can be mixed with Trichoderma formulation at the rate of 1 kg per 100 kg neem cake. The mixture is then covered with wet gunny bags. This mixture is to be turned thoroughly on alternate days. Avoid direct exposure to sunlight and rainfall. After 15 days, the Neem cake + Trichoderma formulation will be ready for application. This is highly useful to reduce the problem of soil borne pathogens and nematodes. Azospirillum or Azoctobacter or VAM (a nitrogen fixing bacteria) can also be added to the growing bed. Raised beds are to be prepared having 30-45cm height, 80 -100cm width and required length, leaving 50 -60 working space in between them.

The raised bed has to be covered with weed mat/plastic mulch (silver and black) to save water and to check the growth of weeds. Polythene film of 50/100 micron (200 gauge) thick and 1.2m width is to be used to cover the bed. About 5cm diameter holes are to be made on the sheet as per the recommended spacing of the crops.  In soilless cultivation, capsicum usually grows in grow bags/troughs keeping weed mat between two rows.

A basal fertilizer dose of 20:25:20 NPK/acre is to be applied to the beds uniformly before transplanting in the form of 80 kg calcium ammonium nitrate, 125 kg super phosphate and 32 kg murite of potash or 40 kg of sulphate of potash.

Planting

The bed should be irrigated with water and kept wet at the time of transplanting. Capsicum seedling should be sown in two rows on the raised beds. Planting has to be done in a zigzag manner by making holes or trenches on the bed. Planting should be avoided during the hottest period of the day/year and should normally be done during late in the evening. Healthy and uniform seedlings of 30-40 days old are to be transplanted at a spacing of 50 cm x 40 cm. Immediately after transplanting, the beds should be drenched with 0.2% Bavistin. After transplanting, the soil around the plants must be kept humid but not soaking wet. Irrigate the plant immediately after transplanting. During periods with strong sunshine or high temperature, the young plants must frequently be given an over head spray of water to assist establishment and to reduce post planting losses. For first week it is better to do the irrigation by using hose sprayer and later by drip system.

 Author:  Dr.P.Suseela, Former Professor & PI, Hi-Tech Research and 

Training Unit, Kerala Agrl. Uty and Consultant and Trainer of Hi-Tech cultivation

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