I want to plan my dry chilli crop. What plant spacing, irrigation and fertiliser schedule give a good dry pod yield?
What spacing, irrigation and fertiliser does chilli (mirchi) need for good dry yield?
AAnjaiah8mo ago · 308 views
3 Answers
🌾Farmer.in Krishi TeamExpert ✓8mo ago
Dry chilli yield depends on a healthy, long duration crop, so spacing, water and nutrition all matter. Transplant onto well prepared beds at the recommended spacing for your variety and the exact spacing varies, but a moderate plant to plant and row to row gap helps air flow and reduces fruit rot. Drip irrigation with mulch is widely used in Telangana because chilli is sensitive to both moisture stress and waterlogging, and steady moisture during flowering and fruiting prevents flower drop and improves pod set. Apply balanced fertiliser based on your Soil Health Card, splitting nitrogen and potash through the crop rather than all at once, and avoid excess nitrogen which delays maturity and attracts thrips. Adequate potash improves pod quality and colour. Protect the crop from thrips, mites and anthracnose throughout. Confirm exact spacing, drip schedule and fertiliser doses with your local KVK.
RRajaiah7mo ago
Splitting the fertiliser, especially nitrogen and potash, across the crop instead of dumping it all at planting gave me a steadier, longer cropping plant. When I front loaded all the nitrogen the plant went leafy and attracted thrips and matured late. Spoon feeding through drip suited it better.
KKomuraiah7mo ago
Drip with mulch was a clear gain for me in our dry belt. Steady moisture through flowering cut the flower drop and the pod set improved, and the mulch saved water and kept weeds down. Both flooding and letting it dry out hurt the set, so even moisture is the key.