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| From Growing Amaranthus leafy Vegetable using Simplified Hydroponics in Mangalore, India |
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| From Growing Lentils without Soil using Simplified Hydroponics in Mangalore, India |
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| From Hydroponic Radish grown in Mangalore |
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| From Hydroponic Pumpkins grown in Mangalore |
Chilli (Capsicum annum) is highly regarded for its wide commercial use. India is a chief exporter, producer, & consumer of chilli. States like Andhra Pradesh & Punjab rank as the top producers in india as it is totally cultivated under irrigated systems unlike other parts where it is mostly cultivated under rainfall irrigation.
Climate and Soil
Chilli prefers warm and humid climate. Higher temperatures will result in shedding of flowers & fruit buds. Also too much rainfall is not suited for its cultivation as it will result in rotting of the plants. Prolonged rainfall in November will result in the powdery mildew & the growth and yield are greatly affected.
Soils which are basically light & well drained are best suited. It does not grow well in heavy soils. Poor and medium quality soils will result in early & good yield in the initial stages provided its managed properly. It thrives well around pH of 6 to 7. In higher acid soils, reclamation with lime is done. It cannot tolerate water stagnation for more than 24 hours, and hence choosing soils with good drainage & pore space is a priority.
Raising seedlings
Since the seeds of chilli are very small it has to be first sown in raised nursery beds. The soil of the beds prepared are mixed well with decomposed farm yard manure & weed free condition is done. The seeds are then mixed with sand & directly sown or broadcast. Paddy straw, coconut palms & other green materials are used to cover the beds. This is done mainly to preserve the moisture level. The selection of the nursery bed is an important factor determining germination. Direct sunlight places must be avoided. Partial shade plots are suitable. Very light irrigation must be given immediately after broadcast. In many cases, copper oxy chloride is also sprayed at timely intervals to prevent damping off. 1 percent urea as foliar spray ensures quick & robust growth of the seedlings. Germination takes place within a week, & it is ready to transplant only after 40 days.
Transplanting, irrigation & fertilizer management.
transplanted seedlings
Transplanting has to be done when the plant reaches a height of 15 to 20 cm. transplanting is always done in pairs, to maintain plant population & density. During transplantation the soil must be ploughed repeatedly to achieve fine tilth. Adding fresh decomposed manures & mixing the soil well is done.
maintaining spacing between rows
Shade should be provided after transplanting as the intense heat may damage the soft plant tissues & cause wilting.
Spacing of 45 * 45 cm is generally practiced in many places. Also 75*75 & 90*90 cm spacing can be maintained. Ridge and furrow method is adopted for its cultivation. While in monsoons, it has to be planted on the ridges. Furrows around 50 cm wide is generally recommended, maintaining up to 75 cm between rows.
weed free condition
Since it is a long duration crop, inter culture operation must be done on a timely basis. Every 30 days, earthing up of the soil is done, to prevent crust formation & also to manage weeds.
45 days after transplant
Plant responds well to foliar sprays & Biovita organic manure must be used @ 1 ml per litre every 20 days.
Irrigation must be provided everyday for up to 15 days after transplantation. Subsequently irrigation can be given on alternate days or twice weekly when the plant has established itself. During monsoons irrigation is not needed but bunds must be formed such that water does not stagnate at the base of the plant or it will cause rotting. Application of complex NPK should also be done every 25 days.
To prevent loss of soil water , mulching with paddy straw, dried leaves & plant residue, etc must be done.
Harvesting
flowering seen
green tender fruits
Flowering starts 45 to 60 days after transplanting & yielding continues for about 3 months depending on cultivar & beneficial conditionsHarvesting tender green fruits for vegetable use should be done at initial stages to allow better flush. Ripe red fruits used mainly as spice can be plucked after 1 to 2 weeks after first harvest. Dried chilli can be stored longer than the tender green ones.
Photos and content by Pritham 'Heavy metal farmer' denzil dsouza
SOWING & LAND PREPARATION AND SOIL
Since the size of the seeds are very small, it has to be mixed with sand & then broadcast. The ratio of sand to seed is generally 3:1 or 2:1 .
seed broadcasting
turning soil after broadcasting
Raised seed beds about 20 cm height are made and about a truck load of fresh decomposed farm yard manure is added & mixed thoroughly. Seeds are then mixed in the above mentioned ratio & broadcast. Immediately after sowing seeds, very light irrigation must be done.
raised seed beds
CLIMATE AND FERTILIZER APPLICATION
Amaranth responds very well in high temperatures. They are able to efficiently use CO2 and minimize photorespiratory loss. It’s a c4 plant. And photosynthesis takes place even at hot & humid temperatures. Hence it is widely cultivated in tropics & semi tropics.
when plant reaches 3 leaf stage
It responds well to fertilizer application in the form of foliar sprays. Organic manure solutions available in the market must be sprayed @ 1 ml per litre, when the seedlings are at 2 leaf stage. Complex NPK fertilizers can also be sprayed @ 3 grams in 10 litre water.
Amaranth grown for commercial seed production require more fertilizers & that will will be mentioned in another post.
FUNGAL AND PEST MANAGEMENT.
Since the plant produces tender succulent leaves, it is subject to high incidence of pests. Hairy caterpillars feed on the leaves & skeletonise the plant. This can be treated using dichlorvos @ 2 ml per litre.
aphids & scale insects, suck the plant sap & reduce marketability. Dimethoate @ 1 ml per litre is recommended.
fungal attack, white spots on leaf surface which spreads to entire plant
The main problem is the fungal attack on amaranth. White spots appear in the surface of the leaves & make the plant look old & diseased & thus completely reduce marketability. It happens generally if the seeds used for sowing were already contaminated with the disease, or it could be soil borne. Albigo candida is responsible for this. There is no specified treatment, but it can be prevented by treating the seeds & soil with anti fungal agents. Also timely harvesting the crop reduced the chances of white spots appearing as it mostly occurs when the plants are older.
HARVESTING
The most beneficial aspect of amaranth cultivation is that it can be harvested in 21 days. It is also less laborious and requires much less farm inputs due to this & is very economic from the cultivation point of view.
ready for harvesting in 21 days
When the plant attains a height of around 15 to 20 cm, it has to be harvested. The height is generally attained 21 to 25 days after sowing.
Harvesting must be done early morning or late evenings. If harvesting is done when the temperature is highm during day time, it will appear withered & wilted.
Since the entire plant is edible it is uprooted as a whole at the time of harvesting. around 10 to 15 plants are then tied together to make a bundle. The entire bundle is then washed in running water & is ready for marketing.
Photos and content by Pritham 'Heavy metal farmer' denzil dsouza
