When to Plant Hangjiao No. 4 and Its Cultivation Techniques

As a new pepper variety, Hangjiao No. 4 pepper is an excellent variety bred over many years from the local Tianshui varieties “Tianshui Yangjiao pepper” and “Gannong Xianjiao pepper” after being carried aboard the Shenzhou III spacecraft, and it is also a dual-purpose fresh and dry pepper with independent intellectual property rights. So if you want to grow this new variety at home, when is the right time to plant it? Let's find out together.

When to Plant Hangjiao No. 4

1. Generally it can be planted at any time. After transplanting the seedlings, drip water promptly at 300m3/hm2, and water to settle the seedlings at intervals of 5-7d to improve the survival rate of the seedlings. For the third watering, apply urea 45-60kg/hm2 + potassium dihydrogen phosphate 15kg/hm2 to promote rapid aboveground growth and vegetative growth. In the early stage, apply fertilizer and water once every 10-15d, appropriately increase the fertilizer amount or spray trace-element fertilizer as appropriate to promote early development.

2. At the early flowering stage, appropriately increase the drip water amount, coordinate the relationship between vegetative growth and reproductive growth, and improve the fruit-setting rate, watering once every 7-8d. At the full flowering stage, after the peppers set fruit, sufficient water should be provided in time, watering once every 5-7d, and the watering amount must not be less than 450m3/hm2.

Cultivation Techniques for Hangjiao No. 4

1. Fertilize according to the formula based on soil test results. On the basis of applying good base fertilizer, topdressing must still be done multiple times. 5-7d after planting, lightly apply seedling-lifting fertilizer. Apply urea or drip irrigation fertilizer 5-6k per mu. During the vegetative growth period, combined with watering, use drip irrigation fertilizer 60-75kg/hm2 and potassium dihydrogen phosphate 30kg/hm2. Entering the early fruiting stage, the topdressing amount should gradually increase, using drip irrigation special fertilizer or nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium fertilizer 90-120kg/hm2. Foliar fertilizer can be flexibly applied according to seedling conditions.

2. Do a good job in forecasting and reporting pests and diseases, fully grasp the occurrence periods and patterns of pests and diseases, and, in accordance with the principle of “prevention first, prevention more important than treatment, integrated control”, formulate effective control measures to keep pepper pests and diseases within the minimum range of harm.

3. After the pepper fruits are fully red and ripe, they should be harvested at the appropriate time. This variety is generally best harvested at the end of September. After harvesting, the fruits should be spread out to dry in time, and after passing inspection, they should be graded and sold as soon as possible.

Nutrition of Hangjiao No. 4

1. Hangjiao No. 4 was cultivated from green pepper seeds that had once traveled in space. According to experts, most pepper seeds that have experienced space travel undergo hereditary genetic mutations. After being returned to the ground and planted, not only are the plants noticeably taller and thicker and the fruit shape larger, but the yield also generally increases by more than 20% compared with the original, and the quality is greatly improved. The crop body is also stronger, with relatively strong resistance to pests and diseases.

2. These Hangjiao No. 4 peppers have large fruits and bright color, few seeds and thick flesh. In addition to increased yield, the content of vitamin C, soluble solids, and trace elements such as copper and iron is 7%~20% higher than the original. They taste fresh, fragrant, smooth, both fresh and tender, rich in nutrition, and both red and spicy. They can be eaten directly raw, with a slightly sweet taste, crisp and refreshing.

Development Overview of Hangjiao No. 4

1. Since 1987, China has successfully used recoverable satellites and high-altitude balloons 11 times to carry crop seeds and conduct exploratory space breeding experiments. The excellent seeds obtained are called ‘space seeds’.

2. Research and practice have proven that plant seeds, along with satellites in space 200 to 400 kilometers from Earth, use the special environment of space with strong cosmic ray effects, high vacuum, microgravity, and alternating magnetic fields to fly for 5 to 16 days, carrying out beneficial mutation treatment on the seeds. The favorable conditions of these combined factors cannot be replaced by other breeding methods on the ground.

3. Space agriculture is a new frontier in the development of China's modern agriculture. In the world, only China, the United States, and Russia can launch recoverable satellites, and only these three countries have the conditions to carry out space breeding technology. At present, China is in a leading international position in this regard.

Hangjiao No. 4 has no great restrictions on planting time, which also allows farmers to make maximum use of spare land for planting. As long as you follow the cultivation techniques disclosed officially and carry out patient cultivation and care, it is believed that high-yield returns will also be obtained.