1. Module V: Chili Pepper Plant Nutrition Lesson 1: Importance of Chili Pepper Nutrition After completing this Lesson, you would be able to answer: 1. Why application of manures and fertilizers is important in chili pepper cultivation? 2. How the gap between actual and potential chili pepper yields could be reduced? 4. What is the usual notion (thinking) about phosphorus application to chili pepper crop?

2. Module V: Chili Pepper Plant Nutrition Lesson 1: Importance of Chili Pepper Nutrition Common fertility management in chili pepper production often begins with an initial application of chicken manure (three to four tons per acre) during soil preparation. The manure is broadcasted, then disced and floated for incorporation. A preplant application of chemical fertilizers (e.g. 1000 lbs. per acre of 11-52-0) may be substituted for the chicken manure. The fertilizer is broadcasted flat and listed into the beds.

3. Module V: Chili Pepper Plant Nutrition Lesson 1: Importance of Chili Pepper Nutrition Nitrogen (N) sources such as neutral 8-8-8 (used in this study), AN 20, liquid UAN 32, or CAN 17 may be used to supply an additional 120 to 200 pounds of N per acre. This brings the total annually applied N and Phosphorus to about 300 pounds per acre. Application of about 10 to 15 pounds of N per acre per week is recommended. Contact your crop consultant for information about in-season leaf petiole and blade nutrient assessment.

4. Module V: Chili Pepper Plant Nutrition Lesson 1: Importance of Chili Pepper Nutrition The high yields in chili pepper is generally due to the crop being grown under favorable conditions like loamy soils, often rainfall conditions etc. Vigor chili pepper due to proper management

5. Module V: Chili Pepper Plant Nutrition Lesson 1: Importance of Chili Pepper Nutrition There is a wide gap between the national average yield (less than 1000 Ib/acre) and the potential achievable yield (more than 3,500 Ib/acre). Inadequate availability of essential nutrients could be one of the reasons for such a wide gap in chili pepper yields. Nutrient removal and yield

6. Module V: Chili Pepper Plant Nutrition Lesson 1: Importance of Chili Pepper Nutrition Nutrients Required for yield of 3500 Ib of dry red chili pepper per acre

7. Module V: Chili Pepper Plant Nutrition Lesson 1: Importance of Chili Pepper Nutrition General thinking is that most of the soils are rich in phosphorus and so there is no need to apply phosphorus to chili pepper. The correctness of this statement has to be verified by soil testing. Phosphorus is not needed if levels]of soil phosphorus are between medium and medium-low, based on the New Mexico State University analysis system (Guide A-122, Soil Test Interpretation, Cooperative Extension Service, New Mexico State University).