The Influence of High Planting density On the Early Yield of Hot Pepper (Capsicum spp.) in Barbados

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The Influence of High Planting density On the
Early Yield of Hot Pepper (Capsicum spp.) in
Barbados

• Presented by
• Stevenson Skeete, MSc. Trop. Hort
• Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development

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Background on hot pepper

• Still a growing positive demand on export markets
• Work on pepper has focused on increasing early
  yield by high density planting systems
• Backdrop of open trade, competition for land use,
  pest problems, weed problems, farm labour
  problems
• Competitiveness is critical
• Intensification of land use
• Sustainability of production

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West indies Red
Guided by the Q. V. T requirements of the export
market
Desired product

• Weight gt8-10 g
• diameter gt25 cm

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Guided by the Q. V. T requirements of the export
market
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Work focus
Note the open space

• Increasing
• Yield/ area / time
• production system analysis
• Recording of phenology/yield on farm
• Agronomic trials on density, mulching/
  micronutrients

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Components of crop yield

• yield per unit area
• Yield per plant
• Fruit size
• Timing (pattern and duration of production)
• Focus on early yield

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Maximising yield at stage where plants behave as
individuals

• yield/per plant less dependent on density
• Bearing capacity of early nodes filled
• Requires good early growth

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taken from a single plant at 21 weeks(after
harvest started) -the kind of yield/plant that
leads to 34000 Kg/Ha
Looking to produce 65 fruit/plant in 4-6 weeks
(215 fruit)
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The influence of high density on the early yield
of hot pepper

• Replicated trial (10 reps)
• 1.7 m (56) split to 0.83m (33)rows
• Plants 30 cm apart
• Created 4x normal density
• Control was 60 cm intra-row on standard beds
• Follow-on to a previous trial

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High density planting(4x) simulation
4000 plants/ac 10000plant/Ha
16000 pl/ac 40000 pl/Ha
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It looks like this in the field
Near the start
At 5 months (after 8 weeks of harvest)
At start of harvest (3 months)
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Results
Yield from first 4 harvests (lbs)
Yield per plot 2.6 times standard at first
harvest (FPr. .001) Double at second harvest
(F Pr.lt.001)
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Yield per Hectare (extrapolated)
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Yield per plant (Kg)
Number of Fruit per plant
Fruit Weight/plant
Standard 0.45 35
4x density 0.23 19
Not the best early yield seen so far Yield/plant
of gt.75 obtained in previous work (Skeete et al,
2002)
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Fruit Size (wt)
No significant difference in mean weight
Fruit Wt (g)
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Response of Early yield to Planting Density
4x MA 2007 First harvest only (1.5-5)
4x What do we need to
achieve ?
4x MA 2007 Total early yield
2x CARDI 1999
1x
1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4
Yield increase
2x MA 2002
2x CARDI 1992
4x MA 2003 Demo plots in 2002-3
2x MA 2000 mulch micro
2x MA 2000 mulch micro mancozeb
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Conclusions/Recommendations

• Quadrupling density can have the effect of
  increasing early yield per unit area by a factor
  of up to 2.6
• Further work needed with other agronomic inputs
  to enhance density
• The approach of quadrupling density is worth
  further exploration as a means of intensifying
  production (time and land use) and improving the
  competitiveness of production.
• Further work
• Analysis on the costs associated with high
  density production in relation to competitiveness

On farm demonstration of 4x production system
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Acknowledgement

• Acknowledge the keen work of Owen Gamble and
  Selwyn Brathwaite, Mr Connell and all staff at
  CARS in support of the studies

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Thank You

• Queries/questions/comments?