Preliminary experiments using uniconazole (UNZ) sprays at 5 and 10 ppm on bird pepper indicated that UNZ could be used to enhance appearance and improve fruiting of bird pepper, but some refinement of UNZ rates needed to be made. A final experiment was conducted to determine rates of UNZ and pinching level required to maintain a suitable plant size and increase yield and total number of red fruits. Best overall effects were on plants single-pinched 4 weeks after sowing and treated with a foliar spray of 4 to 6 ppm UNZ. Higher UNZ levels produced overly compact plants that required staking of individual branches. Attractiveness of double-pinched plants may be enhanced by delaying UNZ application after the second pinch. Bird pepper, therefore, can be produced as a dual-purpose pot plant by single-pinching followed by foliar applications of UNZ at 4 to 6 ppm.
Abstract
The effects of polyethylene (PE) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic film tunnels (perforated, whole and double layer) on fruit set and yield of winter peppers were tested alone and in combination with soil mulches of black bitumen and black PE film. Whereas double4ayer cover induced more vigorous plant development, good fruit set on lower nodes, resulting in higher early yields of large fruit, was obtained only from plants covered throughout flowering by perforated plastic film. The addition of bitumen mulch resulted in higher total and early yield, while black PE mulch reduced the early yield, Factors inducing flower abscission when double-layer plastic is in use during flowering, as well as the differences between black bitumen and black PE mulch, are discussed.
Abstract
A stable, male-sterile, recessive mutant designated ms-2 has been isolated from ‘California Wonder’ pepper and appears useful for hybrid production of Bell pepper types.
Abstract
Replicated field plots of small, medium, and large pimiento seeds, cv. Truhard Perfection, were planted in mid-February of 1972 and 1973. Compared to seedlings produced by small seeds, those from medium and large seeds emerged 2 days earlier to a significantly better stand, and attained in 71 days the growth, the hardened condition, and the root system required of usable transplants by canners. Transplants from small seeds failed to reach these requirements within the 75-day duration of this study.
Abstract
A roundleaf mutant in ‘Bighart’ pimiento pepper readily classified in segregating F2 and backcross progenies, is determined by a recessive gene, rl. The rl gene reduces the length of the leaves but not the width, changing the length/width ratio from 1.50 to 1.24. The rl gene does not produce obvious pleiotropic deleterious effects on the plant and could prove useful as a marker gene in producing F1 hybrids or for characterizing new pepper cultivars.
Abstract
The correlation of fruit size with seed no. was high (r = 0.96 to 0.99) in fruit growing at high or low night temperatures.
The proportionate wt of fruit per seed decreased with increasing seed no., and was higher in fruit growing under low temp than under high temp. The night temp prevailing before anthesis was not significant for parthenocarpic fruit development, but low temp after anthesis did enable such fruit to develop. High (18-20°C) temp during flower development is a prerequisite for the formation of good-shaped, elongated fruit. The highest length/diam ratio in both fertilized and non-fertilized fruit was obtained with high night temp up to anthesis and low (8-10°C) thereafter.
Abstract
Several cytoplasmic-genic male-sterile (partially fertile) cultivars were developed in pepper. Three cultivars demonstrated different levels of male sterility; male sterility stability of ‘Bikura’ was reliable for hybrid seed production.
Abstract
The marketable yield of bell peppers grown on aluminum-painted polyethylene was significantly greater as compared to that obtained from diphenamid herbicide or hand-cultivated treatments for 2 years, and black polyethylene for 1 year. Two plants in a hill planted in 2 rows on a bed significantly increased yields over double rows of single plants or single rows of single plants on a bed. Average fruit weight was greater from plants planted in a single row.
Abstract
Fifty plant introduction lines of pepper were screened for resistance to curly top virus using the vector Circulifer tenellus Baker and a strain of virus known to be pathogenic on peppers Inoculations were done by caging either 3 or 15 viruliferous leafhoppers onto a leaf at the 4-true-leaf stage of growth. Four lines (PI 257053, PI 281297, PI 288938, and PI 357522) showed apparent resistance when inoculated by 3 leafhoppers, but non appeared resistant for more than a few days when inoculated by 15 leafhoppers. No correlation was found between leafhopper longevity on a plant and that plant’s resistance to the virus.