Growth Regulators

 Growth regulators in chilli crop are used for production of male sterile flowers, to induce early flowering
for preventing flower and fruit drop, for uniform ripening of fruits and to increase or decrease seed
content in fruits.
 Some of the growth regulators, used in this crop are – napthalene acetic acid (NAA), indole acetic acid
(IAA), gibberlic acid (GA), tri-iodobenzoic acid (TIBA), Kinetins ethylene, Phenoxy acetic acid sterols
and long chain aliphatic fatty acids, etc. Napthalene acetic acid is used to prevent flower and fruit drop
and ethrel for uniform maturity of fruits are commercially used.
 Hand emasculation is costly and time consuming. Application of growth regulators to chilli plant either
before bloom or at the time of flowering is known to suppress stamen formation leading to male sterility.
Application of morphactin at 1 ppm either one spray or 3 sprays before flowering produces stamenless
flowers. But higher concentration above 10 ppm produces epinasty.
 Vitamin B group is known to increase fruit set, number of seeds per fruit and shortening height of chilli
plants. Among Vitamin B group B1, B2 an B6 are known to be effective.
 Chilli plants have 2 to 3 peaks of blossoming which is influenced by soil moisture, nutrient supply,
incidence of pests and diseases. Any stress at blossoming leads to flower and fruit drop. Fruit set in
chilli crop varies around 12 to 15 per cent of the flowers produced.
 Napthalene acetic acid either as seed treatment or as pre-blossom sprays ranging from 10 to 200 ppm
induces early flowering prevents flower and fruit drop. Variation in response to NAA application has
been observed among chilli varieties. Increased fruit set and yield has been observed in all the chilli
varieties except Dharmabad variety. All NAA containing compounds Planofix, Fruitofix or fixex have
been observed to increase fruit set from 12 per cent to 40 per cent thus increased yields.
 Higher concentration of NAA is known to decrease fruit number and yield. Gibberllic acid application at
the rate of 150 ppm recorded higher yield of capsicum.

Flower and fruit drop

 Large number of flowers are borne during the life span of chilli crop. Varieties differ in their blossoming
peaks. Short duration varieties have only one peak of blossoming while long duration varieties have 2 to
3 peaks of flowering.
 Fruit set in chilli crop varies around 12 to 15 per cent of the flowers produced. Flower and fruit drops are
influenced by fertility status of soil, soil moisture condition, incidence of pests and diseases and climatic
conditions. Chilli crop can tolerate drought condition better than excess soil moisture, continuous
saturated soil condition leads to stunted growth, yellowing and shedding of flowers and fruits. Incidence
of inset pests, especially, thrips and mites and mosaic cause flower and fruit crop.

Parthenocarpy

 Growth regulating substances have been used in production of parthenocarpic fruits. Cattle urine, indole
acetic acid (IAA) and phenoxy acetic acid (PAA) not only produce parthenocarpic fruits but also increase
fruit size.
 Application of PAA and IAA at 10 ppm at pre-anthesis stage results in production of 40 to 60 per cent
parthenocarpic fruits.

Ripening of fruits

 Red ripe fruits are valued for colour and flavour. With hand picking some partially green fruits are often
harvested and discarded or left to colour naturally.
 The later procedure prolongs harvesting period and requires additional labour. With advant of once-over
mechanical harvesting, a rapid method of degreening chilli fruits is economical importance both to
growers and processor 2 –cholorophenyl phosphoric acid (etherl or ethephon) has been extensively
used in USA for raid degreening of chilli fruits for once-over mechanical harvesting. Etherl in generally
applied when the first fruit on the plant begins to turn to chocolate brown or slightly red.
 Completely green fruits however, do not turn to an acceptable commercial grade. Etheral applied when
first fruit turned to red at 100, 250 and 500 ppm brought out uniform ripening of fruits 17 to 23 days of
application. With increase in concentration of ethrel there isincreased number of red fruits harvested and
less number of green fruits.
  The effectiveness of ethephon is dependent on concentration, number of sprays and cultivars. The
cultivar shepherd was the most sensitive to ethephon. Ethephon spray at 10 ppm applied twice to
Shepherd was more effective in promoting red fruit colouring. Double or single sprays were equally
effective in sweet hungarian and Casca belia to lesser degree to staddevis select.

Growth regulators used in chilli

Growth regulators Concentration (ppm) Stage of application Effects

NAA (Naphthelene acetic 50 Full bloom stage Control of fruit drop and 41 %
acid) yield increase
NAA (Planofix) 10 First at flowering, second 5 Increased fruit set
weeks later
NAA (Planofix) 60 Bloom stage Increasing in yield
MH (Maleic hydrazide) 3000 Preflowering Suppression of flowering
Ethrel (Ethephon) 200 Preflowering Improved fruit set and
flowering
GA (Gibberlic acid) 50 Fruit setting Decrease in flower shedding
and increased fruit set
Tricontanol 2 First spray at 30 days after Reduction in flower drop and
transplant second at bloom increased fruit yield
stage
Ethephon 500 At maturity Turning colour, increase in
yield