Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
change has fully occurred (from green to red/yellow; light yellow to dark yellow/orange/red, etc.).
Seeds are then no longer white but rather a golden yellow. Seed can be harvested from ripe fruits or
from fruits that have dried on the stalk; never harvest seed from moldy fruits, however. Remove seeds
from the flesh of the fruit by hand or with a spoon, and remove plant debris. Take great care when
working with hot spicy peppers! Wear rubber gloves (the “hot” chemicals, capsaicinoids, slowly build
up on the fingers and cause a burning sensation that is difficult to get rid of) and goggles to avoid
burning yourself. Bell peppers often yield around 200 seeds, hot peppers less. Separate nonviable
seeds from viable seeds in a container of water right after harvesting. Nonviable seeds float and can be
poured off the top, while viable seeds sink to the bottom. Spread seeds out on a clean surface (a win-
dow screen, for example) and allow to dry in a warm place. Seeds dry enough for storage make a
cracking sound when broken.
SELECTION CHARACTERISTICS Seed should be harvested only from healthy, well-nourished plants.
General selection criteria include vigorous growth and tolerance of weather extremes (drought, wet
and/or cool climates). Other selection criteria:
Visits from bumblebees and other insects can result in individual varieties crossing with one another.
• plant: uniform, rapid growth; true-to-type growth (tall and vertical to flat and expansive); non-brittle
branches; number of fruits per plant
• fruit: thick walls for bell peppers; true-to-type shape (pointy, blocky, round); degree of heat; rapid
ripening; flavor (it is worth it to taste all harvested fruits, as individual fruits from the same plant can
taste slightly different)
DISEASES AND PESTS Home gardeners rarely have any pest-related problems with peppers; plants
grown outdoors are attacked only rarely, and fruits are not damaged directly (exceptions: bright-line
brown-eye moth, European corn borer). But a variety of diseases affect pepper plants. Typical symp-
toms: young leaves are curled and get blisters or spots; plant growth is stunted. Viruses express them-
selves more frequently when growth stagnates (e.g., during cold periods) and may seem to disappear in
the next generation of leaves on the plant. A latent viral infection is still present, however. Since vir-
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