For high yield and quality of chili peppers, three key points must be focused on

Gong Zhichang, known as the "Chili Pepper King" in Shouguang City, Shandong Province, believes that yield and quality are the key to achieving high efficiency in chili pepper production, especially when market prices are low. In chili pepper production, Gong Zhichang focused on the following three aspects of management.

Prevent plant death and cultivate a well-developed root system. Chili peppers are shallow-rooted plants with an underdeveloped taproot and poor root regeneration capacity. They are susceptible to waterlogging and cannot tolerate drought. They require soil with strong air permeability and are best cultivated on high ridges. High ridge cultivation not only enhances soil air permeability and ensures the oxygen needed for root growth, but also helps raise soil temperature, making it particularly suitable for autumn-winter and early spring chili pepper production. In addition, high ridge cultivation can prevent root suffocation and root rot caused by excessive watering. When transplanting chili peppers, applying bio-bacterial fertilizer against plant death in the planting holes can promote root growth and prevent disease.

Scientific ventilation to ensure suitable temperature. During the flowering and fruiting period, chili peppers require a temperature of 15°C-35°C. If the temperature is below 15°C or above 35°C, flower bud differentiation is poor, and flowers and fruits are prone to drop. Before 10 AM, the greenhouse temperature must not exceed 30°C, as temperatures above 30°C affect pollination of chili peppers, so early ventilation management measures should be adopted. About 1 hour after opening the greenhouse, the ventilation openings can be opened. The size of the ventilation openings and ventilation duration should be determined according to outside temperature conditions. This not only helps supplement carbon dioxide inside the greenhouse, but also keeps the temperature within the suitable range for chili pepper photosynthesis. In the afternoon, when the greenhouse temperature reaches 17°C, close the greenhouse to maintain nighttime temperatures at 15°C-18°C, allowing normal nutrient transport and avoiding excessive nighttime temperatures that cause excessive nutrient consumption, leading to excessive vegetative growth and poor flowering and fruiting.

Reasonable pruning to coordinate plant growth. Pruning can improve ventilation and light penetration of the plant population, which not only facilitates the production and transport of photosynthetic products, but also helps improve chili pepper yield and market quality, while also helping prevent pests and diseases. For one-season chili peppers, four-main-branch pruning is the primary pruning method. Remove lateral branches sprouting from the main branches to ensure the four main branches grow upward in a coordinated manner. Generally, pruning begins after fruits have set, because at this time the plants are relatively short and field ventilation and light penetration are good, so lateral branches can be retained to bear fruit. After lateral branches have set fruit, pinch off the growing tip leaving one leaf above the fruit. When harvesting the fruit, the fruit and the fruiting lateral branch can be removed together. As the plant grows, branches and leaves interlock, affecting ventilation and light penetration. Combined with fruit harvesting, inner lateral branches should be promptly removed to prevent them from consuming nutrients. Outer lateral branches should still be managed by the method of retaining fruit and pinching off the growing tip.