Effect of Different Dates of Pinching on Growth and Yield Attributes of Chilli Pepper (Variety- Marshal) in Chitwan, Nepal

Abstract

Low yield and increased use of chemical fertilizers are major problems for chilli growers in Chitwan, Nepal. An experiment to determine the effect of pinching on the vegetative and reproductive attributes of Chilli was conducted in the farmer's field to study its effect on height, branching system, and yield attributes of the plant. Seven treatments in total that were pinching at 15th, 30th, 45th, 15th & 30th,15th & 45th, 30th & 45th DAT and control with three replications were laid out in randomized complete block design in an area of 5.4 m2. A significant reduction in height by 32.70% was observed in the double-pinched plot than in the un-pinched plot. Similarly, an increase in the number of primary, secondary, and tertiary flowering branches was recorded in pinched plants as compared to controlled conditions. Pinching after the 15th & 45th DAT recorded a greater number of days to 1st flowering and 50% flowering while double pinching takes a maximum of days to flower followed by single pinching. Notably, double pinching at 15th & 30th DAT resulted in a substantial increase in the number of fruits per plant by 77.56%, average fruit weight by 27.57%, fruit length by 18.04%, and overall fruit yield by 118.65% compared to the control. While single pinching at the 15th, 30th, and 45th DAT yielded comparable results, the control treatment displayed inferior outcomes. These findings underscore the efficacy of pinching at 15th & 30th DAT as a beneficial approach to enhance the growth and yield traits of Chilli plants in Chitwan, Nepal.