xt7h9w08xt6f https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt7h9w08xt6f/data/mets.xml   Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station.  journals kaes_circulars_004_620 English Lexington : The Service, 1913-1958. Contact the Special Collections Research Center for information regarding rights and use of this collection. Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station Circular (Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station) n. 620 text Circular (Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station) n. 620  2014 true xt7h9w08xt6f section xt7h9w08xt6f 1
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C11·cu1a1· 620
AGRICULTURE AND HOME ECONOMICS

 C O N T E N T S
Page
Soils ...................................................................... 3
Selecting Planting Dates ......................,............... 4
Soil Preparation .................................................... 4
Fertilizer .............................................................. 4
Preparing for Transplanting ................................ 6
`l`ransplanting—Water Solution ............................ 6
Weed Control ...................................................... 8
Insect Control ...................................................... 9
Flea Beetle .................................................... 9
Cutworms ...................................................... 9
European corn borer .................................... 9
Pepper rnaggots ............................................ lO
Disease Control .................................................... lO
Bacterial spot .............................................. lO l
Cercospora leaf spot .................................... ll ’
Southern blight ............................................ ll l ‘
Anthracnose ................................................ l2
Virus diseases ....................................,......... l2
Blossom end rot ............................................ l3
Sunscald ...................................................... l3
Harvesting ............................................................ l4
Methods ot harvest ...................................... l4 ‘
Labor ...................,........................................ l6

 By Hubert W. Davis and Max E. Fogleman
Peppers are grown in home gardens throughout the state, and a
few have been roduced commerciall but not until recentl were
7
they considered of much economic importance. .
In recent years, some Kentucky farmers have grown peppers
for processing, and based on this limited grower experience, it _
appears this crop can be very profitable. About 1,000 acres are HOW
contracted in Kentucky and as farmers gain experience in pro-
duction practices this acreage should increase.
Peppers grow best on well-drained, fertile upland. However,
they will grow satisfactorily on a wide range of soil types. Tight,
poorly-drained hardpan soils, shale soils, and eroded soils are least
suitable to the crop. A soil which will produce high yields of
i tobacco or tomatoes should also produce a good pepper yield,
since these crops belong to the same family. Peppers grown on
bottomland are more likel ¤ to have disease roblems because of
}
» poor air drainage. Thisris particularly true during periods of hot,
. rainy weather.
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3

 Marmre, or green manure and fertilizer, should be used on
infertile soils. Ten to 15 tons per acre of stable manure, green
manure, or compost need to be applied annually to maintain good
soil organic matter content.
The pepper plant is not especially sensitive to soil acidity; how-
ever, it will produce better with a soil pH of 6.0 to 6.5. Soils
moderately to strongly acid encourage blossom end rot and may
cause southern blight to be more of a problem. Have a soil test
made and apply lime and fertilizers based on the results of the
soil test.
SELECTING PLANTING DATES
Set your peppers in the field according to the time set by your
buyer`s contract. Peppers should not be set earlier than May 10-15
in Kentucky. Peppers will be killed by a very light frost. They I
will also fail to thrive during cool periods when temperatures are
consistently between 400 and 60° over a period of one to three
weeks. A daily average temperature of about '75°F is excellent for
peppers; they require more heat than tomatoes do.
Despite the peppers need for a warm temperature, extreme
beat may prevent fruit set. \¢Vhen temperatures reach 90OF or
above, the blossoms seldom set fruit. Fruit set at mean temperatures _
above SOOF are likely to be small or poorly shaped because of ,
heat injury to the blossoms. The pepper will begin to set fruit
again with the return of cooler temperatures. l
SOIL PREPARATION
Cood soil preparation should begin three to four weeks before
the pepper transplants are to be set in the Held. The soil should A
be plowed 8-10 inches deep, then disked each week to assure a
firm, fine seedbcd. Pepper transplants survive better, start growth V
quicker, and have fewer insect problems when set in a well-pre-
pared soil.
FERTILIZER
A good supply of fertilizer in the early life of the pepper plant
is a `°must" for top yield. Plants set in soil with a good supply of
fertilizer get off to a good start and grow rapidly. They develop
to a good size before they start blooming and setting fruit. Plants
4

 set in soil with low fertility grow slowly and set fruit before the
plants reach a good size. This tends to stunt the plant and thus
reduces the total yield.
A soil test is the best guide in determining the amount and
analysis of fertilizer to use. However, when soil tests are not made,
400 to 600 pounds of 10-20-20 fertilizer per acre should be applied
on a soil of medium fertility. Fertile soils should receive 100 to 200 I
pounds of 10-20-20 or 5-20-20 fertilizer per acre.
You can make the best use of fertilizer by banding or drilling '
it in the row, but be careful to keep it from coming in direct contact
with the roots. The pepper plant develops roots slowly; therefore,
it does not make the best use of broadcast fe1·tilizer.
Nitrogen is essential for good yields, but excessive nitrogen in
, the early life of the plant may prevent or delay fruit set. A short-
J age of nitrogen results in poor plant growth and poor fruit set.
Applying the correct amount at the correct time is the answer to
good plant growth and good fruit set.
Most soils should be supplied with 30 to 50 pounds of nit1·ogen
per acre before the transplants are set in the field. Soils which
receive a heavy application of manure, or those which are known
to have a good supply of nitrogen, may not need an application
- of nitrogen until fruit has set on the plants.
 
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Normal plant development 3 weeks after transplanting (left) and 18 weeks
after transplanting (right), when good cultural practices are used with good
fertility.
5

 A general rule to follow in supplying the plant nitrogen is to
start with 30 to 50 pounds of actual nitrogen per acre, then add
30 to 40 pounds of nitrogen sidedressed after fruits have set. A .
second sidedressing may be applied if needed about the time of
the first harvest. Apply 30 to 35 pounds of nitrogen at second
sidcdressing. One hundred pounds of 33% ammonium nitrate will
supply the nitrogen recommended for each of the two sidedress-
ings.
PREPARING FOR TRANSPLANTING
Plants are supplied by the contracting processor in bundles of
50 or more. They are unsorted and are packed in wire-bound
crates containing 20 to 30 bundles. The plants should be separated
and sorted before setting in the field. This is especially important
if a tobacco setter is used. They should be graded according to »
size and the smaller plants saved for resetting if some of the .
transplants die. After grading, retie the bundles and place them
back in the crates.
A wilted plant is difhcult to set. Wilted plants may be revived
by placing the crates in 2·3 inches of water, 10 to 12 hours before
setting. If weather conditions delay setting, plants can be held 10
to 14 days by keeping the roots moist. Care should be taken to
avoid wetting the tops, since this may cause decay and loss of the
plants.
TRANSPLANTING-—STARTER SOLUTION
Transplants are set in rows three feet apart with plants spaced
14-16 inches apart in the row. Plant spacing of 14 inches in the
6

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‘ (LEFT) A bundle of field-run Southern-grown transplants. Bundles should be
untied and sorted before transplanting. Select plants of uniform size (AS
SHOWN AT RIGHT) for field setting.
rOW requires abOut 12,000 plants per acre; 16 inches apart requires
about 10,000 plants to set an acre.
Plants may be set by hand or machine. Machine setting is
preferred, though, since it saves labor and affords the most practical
method of adding water and a starter fertilizer. Three men with
/ a one-row transplanter can set 2,500 to 3,500 plants per hour.
. Hand-setting is best done by a team of two. One person jabs a
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The same equipment may be used to set peppers that is used in setting tobacco.
7

 round-pointed, long-handled shovel into the soil and pulls back i .
on the handle while the other member of the team places the plant
in the hole. About 600 plants per hour can be set with this method. i
\rVhether setting by hand or machine, plants should be set 4 to 5 ·
inches deep if plant size permits. Adding starter fertilizer to the
transplanting water has proven to be a good practice. Tests have
shown that addition of starter fertilizer has increased yields as
much as three tons per acre. A 3·pound package should be added
to each 50 gallons of transplanting water.
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Care should be taken to set the transplants at the proper depth. ~ `
WEED CONTROL
Pepper plants do not compete well with weeds. They grow
slowly and do not shade much soil when mature. This makes the ‘
joh of weed control a major one. The grower has the choice of
controlling weeds chemically or by cultivating as needed. A
University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Leaflet 299,
"(Ihemieal \\’eed Control for Vegetable Crops,” lists the chemicals
whieh may he used for controlling weeds in peppers. This leaflet
is ayailahle in all county agricultural extension offices. You should
obtain a copy for information on what chemical to use, how to use
8

 it, and when it should be used. Chemicals which had been cleared
for use on peppers at the time this circular was prepared were
Dymid, Enide, Amiben, and Treflan. Complete instructions for
their use are given in Leaflet 299.
If weeds are to be controlled by cultivation rather than with
chemicals, cultivation should begin about a week after transplant-
ing. Cultivation should be frequent enough to control the weeds,
and continued as long as possible without damage to the brittle _
plants. A cultivator may leave weeds in the row which should be
removed with a hoe, since they compete for plant nutrients and _
water and interfere with harvesting.
INSECT CONTROL
Failure to control insects may mean the difference in profit or
loss in pepper production. Insects which cause the greatest problems
A ’ are the European corn borer, cutworms, pepper maggots, and iiea
beetles.
Flea Beetle
Flea beetles usually cause problems immediately after the
pepper plants are set in the field. They may be controlled by
dipping the tops of the peppers in a DDT solution just before
V they are set in the field. A solution containing two tablespoons of
50% DDT per gallon of water should be prepared for dipping the
_ plants. The plants should be sprayed with DDT about one week
. to 10 days after field setting. This spray is particularly important
if cool, wet weather follows field setting.
Cutworms
Four to eight pounds per acre of actual chlordane should be
incorporated in the soil for cutworm control before peppers are
set in the field. Other materials which may be used as a dust or '
spray are DDT and toxaphene. Neither of these materials should
be applied to the plant, but directed to the soil around the plant.
Apply 2 pounds of actual DDT or 1.2 pounds of actual toxaphene
per acre. Two or more applications may be needed.
EUTOPEGH COI'!} BOI'8I'
The adult of the European corn borer is a light—brown moth
about Jé-inch long which lays eggs during ]une, ]uly, and August.
9

 As these eggs hatch, the small borer enters the pepper pods and
destroys them. The pepper pod may be small or fully developed at
the time the borer enters, but the end result is a reduction in
yield because of rotting. The materials recommended for control
are Sevin or DDT. Apply 1.0 to 1.5 pounds of actual Sevin or 1
pound of actual DDT per acre. VVeekly applications are recom-
mended beginning with early bloom and continuing through mid-
August. Burning old vines is also helpful by destroying borers
which ovcrwinter in the stalks.
Pepper Muggots
Adult pepper maggots are two-winged, yellow flies, 3/10 of an
inch long. The wings are clear with brown bands. A full-grown
maggot is yellowish white and about Eé-inch long. The maggot
enters the peppers when they are small, but its presence may not
be detected for some time. As the pepper reaches maturity, it may
be destroyed by soft rot.
It is difficult to predict when maggots may cause damage, but
it is known that wet weather favors their development. These
insects can be controlled by spraying or dusting with one of the
following; Thiodane at the rate of if pound active ingredient per
acre; Dylox at a rate of J5 to if pound active ingredient per acre,
or malathion at rate of 1}é pounds active ingredient per acre. Start `
spraying or dusting when peppers begin to bloom and repeat at
weekly intervals until four to six applications have been made.
DISEASE CONTROL1
Bacterial Spot
Bacterial spot disease first appears as small, yellowish-green,
and slightly raised spots on the underside of young leaves. On
older leaves, the spots are dark, water-soaked, and not noticeably
raised. The spots may enlarge to 1}i—inch in diameter. Such spots
have dead, straw-colored centers with dark margins. Severely
spotted leaves turn yellow and drop. Plants severely affected may
loose all of their leaves except those at the top. The fruit may
have blister—like spots about Bi-inch in diameter. These spots turn
I Additional information on disease control is listed in USDA Farmers’
Bulletin No. 2051, "Pepper Production Disease and Insect Control.”
10

 brown and develop a cracked, roughened, and warty appearance.
In damp weather, various decay—producing organisms can enter
through these spots and cause the fruit to rot.
The bacteria causing bacterial spot are seed-borne and can -
overwinter on remains of old diseased plants. The most practical
control is to plant only disease-free plants and rotate pepper plant- .
ings. Peppers should not be grown on the same land more often
than once every four years. Recent tests have shown some control
can be obtained with streptomycin sulfate and with fixed coppers.
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Bacterial spot
Cercosporc Leaf Spot
Cercospora leaf spot, sometimes called frog-eye spot, is a
common disease of peppers. It is caused by a fungus which may
cause serious leaf drop. The spots are large, circular or oblong
shaped and are dark brown at the margins with light-grey centers.
They range from li- to li-inch in size. Control measures are essen-
tially the same as given for bacterial leaf spot, except for the use
of streptomycin sulfate which is not recommended as a control for
cercospora leaf spot.
Southern Blight
Southern blight attacks the stem of a pepper plant near the
ground during warm, rainy weather when soil temperatures are
ll

 above 7()°F. The disease girdles the stem just above the ground
causing leaves to wilt, yellow, and eventually die. When an affected
plant is pulled up, a white mat of the fungus can be seen on the
stem.
The disease is best controlled by rotation. Do not use land
where this disease has been a problem before. Do not use unpro-
ductive eroded land, especially if it faces south or southwest.
Anthracnose
Anthracnose infected fruit develop dark, circular sunken spots
which vary in size, but are often greater than one inch in diameter.
Spots occur on either green or ripe fruits and they may beeorne
covered with dark raised specks. The disease is more serious
during rainy weather because it can be spread by spores washing
or splashing onto healthy fruit. V
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Control the disease by using disease-free plants and by spraying
with a fungicide such as zineb nabam with zinc sulfate, ziram, or
maneb if the disease starts. Cultivating or harvesting when plants
are wet helps to spread this disease, so avoid doing this if possible.
Virus Diseases
Three different mosaic viruses, tobacco mosaic, tobacco etch,
and cucumber mosaic, may cause problems in peppers. The
12

 symptom is green-yellow mottling of the leaf which may also be
slightly curled and irregular in shape. These viruses rarely cause
the plant to die, but may cause considerable reduction in yield.
The following things are recommended to aid in virus disease
control:
1. Destroy all perennial weeds near seedbeds and fields. `
2. Do not use tobacco while handling plants.
3. Thoroughly wash hands before handling plants, especially '
if you are a tobacco user.
4. Avoid handling tomato, cucumber, tobacco, or muskmelon
plants immediately before handling peppers.
5. Control aphids; they may transmit the virus.
V 6. Avoid planting peppers close to tomatoes, tobacco, cucum-
‘ bers, or muskmelons. One or more of the viruses affecting
peppers occurs on all of these crops, too.
Blossom End Rot
Blossom end rot is a common problem with peppers. It is not
caused by fungus or bacteria. The rot occurs when the soil
moisture becomes low after a period of plentiful moisture during
which time the plants have made rapid growth. Excessive amounts
of nitrogen increase the chance of blossom end rot. Close, deep
cultivation just before or during hot, dry weather will also increase
` this disorder.
Water-soaked spots first occur on the blossom end of the fruit.
They soon become light-brown in color and papery feeling as they
dry out. The spots may be small or cover as much as half of the
fruit.
, Since the disorder is associated with soil moisture, care should ,
_ be taken in selecting a soil that is not droughty. A soil well supplied
with organic matter, and one which contains some clay, maintains
a more even moisture supply. Calcium is believed to be associated
with the disorder. Therefore, it is recommended that the soil be
limed if soil tests indicate this is desirable.
Sunscald
Sunscald occurs when the fruit is exposed to direct sunlight.
The first evidence of the disease consists of a light-colored area
that is soft and may become slightly wrinkled. As the injured area
dries, it becomes slightly sunken and has a white papery appear-
13

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  if Sunscald
ance. These spots are frequently infected by various fungi which
grow on dead plant tissue and may cause decay of the fruit. Any
bacterial or fungal disease which causes dcfoliation of the plant
is often followed by considerable loss of fruit from sunscald.
Plants kept in a healthy, vigorous condition are not likely to
he injured by sunscald. They will have sufficient leaves to prevent
direct sunlight on most of the fruit.
HARVESTING
Peppers for processing are usually harvested when red-ripe. i
They are picked 7 to 14 days apart for a 10- to 12-week period. It
is considered a waste of time to harvest when only an occasional
fruit is ripe, since the pepper will remain in excellent condition for
l() days to two weeks after becoming fully ripe. There will also
he enough peppers ripe to make harvesting and hauling to market i
worthwhile if you wait.
Methods ot Harvest
Bushel baskets or hampers are commonly used in pepper
harvest. Many small-acreage crops are hauled to market in the
containers used for harvest, or the peppers may be put in sacks
or dumped in a truck for delivery to market.
In large fields where several tons of peppers are to he picked
and loaded. serious consideration should be given to laying out
the field for maximum harvesting efficiency. A long field lends
14

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Harvesting
itself best for efficient harvesting methods. Where possible, peppers
should be planted in blocks with 300-foot long rows. A haul road
should cross the rows every 300 feet.
Before harvesting begins, a truck should deliver two 1-bushel
baskets or hampers for each 300-foot row. When the pickers begin
to harvest, they should pick up both baskets left for the row and
carry them to the center of the 300-foot block. One basket is left
at this point and the other basket is used to pick half of the row
’ (150 feet) beginning at the center and picking toward the cross- {
road. Under average conditions, 150 feet of 1'OW should yield one
bushel of peppers. Once half of the row is harvested, the pickers
go back to the center of the block and use the other basket to pick
the other end of the row. By using this method, when picking is
complete, all baskets are at the crossroad ready to be loaded.
A truck moves along each crossroad and should be fitted with
with a rack that permits the entire length of the load to be side-
dumped. Hinged gates about two feet high can be opened for
unloading when the peppers reach the receiving station.
A removable scaffold attached to the rack on each side of the
truck will assist in loading in the field. A worker stands on the
scaffold while another on the ground lifts the basket of peppers
15

 to him, he then lifts them above the rack and dumps them. Six-
ton loads can be hauled out of the field in about 45 minutes with
this method. If the truck is not equipped with hinged racks for
unloading, peppers can be unloaded with a grain scoop. .
L¤b0r
If the pepper crop is being grown with family labor, they should
be able to handle one acre per each working family member. Total
labor requirement per acre is about 80 to 100 hours, with about
50 to 70 hours of this being spent in harvesting.
This crop fits well into small family-operated farms. The _
majority of labor comes at a time of the year when it can be worked
around other jobs. A family wanting weekly cash income from late
]une until mid-October can provide it by growing cucumbers and
peppers. The cucumbers will supply income from late ]une until
early August and the peppers from mid-August until mid—Oct0ber,
and they do not compete with each other for labor.
I
Agzriculturnl and Home Economics Extension Service of the University of Kentucky, the
United States Department of Agriculture cooperating. W. A. Scay, Director. Issued in
furtherance of the Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914. 5M_1-69