Screen House Sweet Pepper Production in Nigeria

Written By Nurain O. Ali-Balogun

Based on the quantity of capsaicin in the fruit, pepper can be categorized as sweet, hot, or mild. Capsaicin is the lipophilic chemical that can cause a strong burning sensation when it comes in contact with mucous membranes¹, i.e., the hot or pungent taste for which peppers are characteristically known. Pepper (Capsicum spp.) belongs to Solanaceae, the “Nightshade” family, where other important vegetable crops such as tomato, potato and garden egg belong.

Sweet pepper, also called bell pepper, is the only pepper that does not produce capsaicin¹. Cultivars of sweet pepper produce fruits in different colours and shapes. Colours include red, yellow, orange and purple¹. The fruits are also often harvested and consumed while still unripe and green. The term “bell pepper” or “pepper” or “capsicum” is often used for any of the large bell shaped capsicum fruits, regardless of their colour¹.

Sweet pepper farming in Nigeria is very profitable. It is often grown under irrigation systems in screen houses to minimize exposure to stress conditions that may cause significant reduction in yield. Screen house cultivation means production can be throughout the year. When properly managed, yield in Nigeria can be up to five tonnes per acre.

Sweet pepper is rich in disease-preventing and health-promoting nutrients such as sodium, calcium, iron, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, copper, cobalt, manganese, sulphur and magnesium with good quantities of vitamins B, C and E, and folic acid³. They are also a rich source of vegetable fiber and antioxidants such as lycopene and beta-carotene which limit the activities of free radicals, thereby reducing the risk of cancer⁴. It is also recommended for preventing obesity, constipation, and recommended for people with type 2 diabetes⁴. Most varieties of sweet pepper are available all year round⁴. They may be eaten raw in salad or used in cooking a wide range of recipes.

A good business plan is crucial for a successful pepper production, with cost of different components of the production process listed out: screen house/land acquisition, input, labour, miscellaneous, logistics, etc. Also, expected yield should be considered as well as target market.

Cultivation

Seeds are first raised into seedlings in a nursery before transplanting to the screen house 5-6 weeks after sowing. It is advisable to plant hybrid seeds (such as Jupiter, Crusader and Admiral) as they are usually developed to be high yielding and tolerant to major diseases. The nursery soil should be well-drained, rich in organic matter and be at least 15 cm deep. Soil may be subjected to heat treatment to sterilize it. A mixture of compost and topsoil can be used as nursery medium. Nursery trays are commonly used for seedling production, but improvised trays (wooden or plastic) perforated strategically for drainage of excess water can also be used; seedlings can also be raised on well-prepared and suitable nursery beds. Growth medium should be well irrigated before sowing. The nursery trays should be placed under a shade to protect them from direct sunlight and heavy downpours. The shade should be progressively removed from about 30 days after sowing to subject the seedlings to hardening, a practice that gets them acclimatized to direct sunlight and minimize transplanting shock, before transplanting.

Sweet pepper is a deep rooted plant and would therefore require a well-drained slightly acidic sandy loam or loam soil that is rich in organic matter ploughed to a depth of at least 30-40 cm². Plastic mulch can be used to reduce soil evaporation and to suppress weeds. Transplanting is usually done about 40 days after sowing into two rows on beds that are 1 m wide. Spacing between rows can be 70 cm, and 50 cm between plant in a row. Cured organic fertilizer (not fresh) can be incorporated into the soil a week or two before planting to allow for mineralization of the nutrients. This may be supplemented with NPK 15:15:15 about three weeks after planting. A supplementary application may be done at 50% flowering.

DRIP IRRIGATION

This is a form of irrigation which involves the wetting of the root zone of plants by using a set of pipes with emitters⁵. Direct drip are lines laid along the planted rows. It is very efficient as it saves water, nutrients and labour. Fertigation can be enabled and yield is significantly increased.

Staking

Sweet pepper has a tendency to not stand erect, especially when branching commences. It is thus crucial to stake as plant grow older as well as prune to prevent excessive branching and vegetative growth. Keeping the leaves and fruits off the ground also helps in reducing diseases (especially fungal diseases) and makes the farm neat and easily navigable.

Sweet pepper fruits take 70-90 days from sowing before they can be harvested as mature green sweet peppers². A good pruning routine will help to establish a well-balanced plant and a continuous production of quality fruits². Fruits are often harvested by hand ever four to seven days.

Pests and disease control

Pesticides such as insecticides, fungicides and herbicides are often used to control insect pests and diseases. It is important to correctly identify the pest or disease before application. Some routine applications are often recommended for prevention purposes. It is important to check label of chemicals for recommended application rates. Also, a farmer must adhere to the pre-harvest interval for application of pesticides.

Insect pests of sweet pepper include aphids, whitefly, thrips, red spider mite and leafminer. Insecticide include Sharp Shooter, Ampligo, Proclaim, Agrimec². Common active ingredients to look out for include cypermetrin, profenofos, deltamethrin and lambda-cyhalothrin.

Fungal diseases of sweet pepper include anthracnose, powdery mildew, downy mildew, crown rot, Fusarium wilt, Fusarium stem and root rot. Fungicides include Ridomil Gold and BlueBolt. Active ingredients to look out for include mancozeb, metalaxyl, copper oxide and copper hydroxide.

Viral diseases are difficult to identify without serological test as symptoms vary widely². Viruses can be transmitted by insects or mechanically. Common viral diseases of sweet pepper are tobacco mosaic virus, pepper mottle virus and cucumber mosaic virus.

Other physiological diseases include blossom end rot which affects sweet pepper fruits early in their development². It is caused mostly by calcium deficiency, but can also be a result of high soil salinity and water stress². Black spot or “stip”is also a calcium disorder, caused by an imbalance of potassium and calcium in the fruit².

References

1. www.starkeayres.co.za
2. Syngenta Vegetable Cataalogue. 2013. Syngenta South Africa.
3. Idowu et al. 2016. The Interactive Effects of Three Trichoderma Species and Damping-off Causative Pathogen Pythium Aphanidermatum on Emergence Indices, Infection Incidence and Growth Performance of Sweet Pepper. International Journal of Recent Scientific Research Vol. 7, Issue, 4, pp. 10339-10347
4. www.guardian.ng/life/wellness/bell-pepper
5. http://dripirrigation.veggiegrow.ng/