How to prevent and control the "three drops" of peppers that cause a sharp decrease in yield

Pepper cultivation

    The "three drops" of peppers occur under different cultivation conditions. In the early stage, it is mostly flower bud drop, and in some cases, leaves and fruits drop in the middle and late stages, causing a sharp decrease in yield.

    1. Causes of the "three drops":

    The first is physiological causes, including sowing too early or off-season cultivation when the temperature during the growth period is insufficient, especially when the ground temperature is below 18°C, the physiological function of the root system declines, and at 8°C the root system stops growing and plant growth stagnates. When the air temperature is below 15°C, although flowering can occur, the anthers cannot release pollen, causing flower drop. When the temperature during the growing season is too high, exceeding 35°C, fertilization may occur after flowering, or when the ground temperature exceeds 30°C, root development is damaged, causing poor pollen development, both of which cause flower drop. During the growth period, prolonged continuous rain, insufficient light, and excessive water cause the plants to grow excessively and reproductive growth to become imbalanced, causing the "three drops".

    The second is pathological causes. During the growth period of peppers, infection with scab, anthracnose, viral diseases, etc. causes the "three drops".

    2. Prevention and control measures:

    For the "three drops" of peppers occurring during the growing season, first identify the main cause. If it is due to physiological causes, such as high temperature, low temperature, excessive water, excessive plant growth, drought, etc., it should be prevented and controlled through strengthened management. For open-field peppers severely affected by waterlogging, promptly drain the accumulated water to prevent waterlogging damage. For flower and leaf drop caused by drought, promptly irrigate to increase soil moisture and ensure normal plant growth. If the cause is excessive density and insufficient light, adjust the density, remove weak plants, and achieve reasonable close planting to facilitate ventilation and light penetration.

    If it is due to pathological causes, determine the type of disease according to the symptoms, identify the extent of the disease, so as to apply pesticide for prevention and control according to the symptoms.