propagation techniques in pepper

7/27/2019 Propagation Techniques in Pepper

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PROPAGATION TECHNIQUES INPEPPER

S.ESWARA REDDY

To propagate pepper use of pre-rooted pepper cuttings is highly desirable. Besides

choosing proper variety, the planting material should be of a superior quality.

Theoretically rooted cuttings can be obtained from all parts of pepper stem or aerial

shoots. Pepper develops three types of aerial shoots, viz.

a) Primary stem or climbing stem

b)Runner shoots which originate from the base of the vines and

c)Fruit-bearing lateral branches and

d) Hanging shoots.

Different planting materials will produce different types of plants In India, generally,

cuttings from the runner shoots are used for raising rooted planting materials. High

yielding and healthy vines in the garden is identified and marked. Runner shootsfrom these vines are kept coiled on wooden pegs fixed at the base of the vine to

prevent the shoots from coming in contact with soil. Thus protected runner shoots

are separated from the vine in February-March and leaves are trimmed. Cuttings of

2-3 nodes each are planted either in nursery beds or polythene bags filled with

fertile potting mixture. Cuttings kept under shade are irrigated frequently. The

cuttings will strike roots and become ready for planting in May-June when 4-5 leaves

are put. This traditional method does not provide enough planting materials to meet


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the requirements. So, alternative methods of rapid multiplication techniques wee

devised for large-scale production of rooted pepper cuttings:

* Rapid multiplication of rooted pepper cuttings using bamboo method

* Pit method (single node from runner shoots are used for rooting)

* Rooted lateral or fruiting branches are propagated as bush pepper

Terminal shoots are also ideal for planting. Such shoots (about 50cm long) can be

cut and planted straight-away during the monsoon or they can be got rooted before

planting in the field. Vines from these cuttings give better growth and high number

of fruit bearing lateral branches, which enable the plants to be more productive.

Further, the vines start flowering earlier than other types of planting materials. But,

getting enough terminal shoots from yielding garden is difficult. So, the method is

not very popular.

General maintenance in the nursery:

Collection of parental material for starting a nursery should be from an area free

from the incidence of diseases, Phytophthora foot rot and nematodes. The vines

selected should be 5-10 year old and high yielder.

The nursery should be kept hygienic

Give periodical (once in 15 days) sprays with 1.0% Bordeaux mixture

Drench the trenches also with 0.2% copper oxy chloride (2g of product is mixed

with 1 litre of water) at least twice during the south-west monsoons, the first in May-

June and the second in August-September.

A technique developed in Sri Lanka and refined at Indian Institute of Spices

Research is becoming increasingly popular in India. In this method, a trench of 0.75

m deep and 0.3m wide having convenient length is made. The trench is filled with

rooting medium (preferably forest soil, sand, farmyard manure mixture 1:1:1). Add

1.5kg lime for every meter length of the trench. Split halves of bamboo with septa

intact [1.25-1.5m long and 8-10 cm dia] are fixed on a strong central support, from

either side at 30 cm intervals at 45 o angle.

The bamboos on opposite sides can be arranged touching one another. Rooted

cuttings are planted in the trench at the rate of one cutting each for one bamboo.The lower portions of the bamboo splits are filled with a rooting medium (preferably

weathered coir dust-farmyard manure mixture 1:1) and the growing vine is tied to

the bamboo split in such a way as to keep the nodes pressed to the rooting

medium. The tying could be done with dried banana sheath fibers. The vines are

irrigated regularly. Bio control agents like Trichoderma, VAM fungi etc. cam be

added to the rooting medium. As the vines grow up, filling up the bamboo splits


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with rooting medium and tying each node pressing it down to the rooting medium

are to be continued regularly. For rapid growth the following nutrient solution may

be applied. Urea (1kg), super phosphate (0.75kg), muriate of potash (0.5kg),

magnesium sulphate (0.25kg) in 250 litre water. The solution is applied at the rate

of 0.25 litre per vine.

When the vine reaches the top (the initially planted vine takes 3-4 months for this)

the terminal bud is nipped off and the vine is crushed at about three nodes above

the base, in order to activate auxiliary buds. After about 10 days, each vine is cut at

the crushed point and removed from the rooting medium and each node is

separated without damaging the root system. The nodal cutting with the bunch of

roots intact is planted in poly bags filled with pot mixture. Care should be taken to

keep the axil above the soil. The poly bags should be kept in a cool humid place, or

should be covered with thin polythene (200 gauge) sheeting to retain high humidity.

The buds start developing in about 3 weeks when the poly bags can be removed

and kept in shade. Advantages of this method are that multiplication is rapid at the

ratio of 1:40, the root system is well developed , leads to about 90% fieldestablishment of the planting material and is cost effective at less than Rs. 5 per

cutting.

. ii) Pit Method of Black pepper propagation

A new technique for propagating black pepper from single nodes of field grown

vines has been developed at Indian Institute of Spices Research, Calicut.

A pit of 2m x 1m x 0.5m is to be prepared under a cool shaded area in the farm.

Single nodes with approximately 8-10 cm length and their leaf intact, taken from

runner shoots of field grown vines are to be planted polythene bags (25x15cm,200gauge) having three proportions at the lower half filled with a mixture of sand,

soil, coir dust and cow dung in equal proportions. The single nodes are to be planted

in the polythene bags in such way so as their leaf axle will rest above the potting

mixture.

The poly bags with the planted single nodes should be arranged in the pit. In a pit of

the above size approximately 150 bags can be kept. After keeping the bags in the

pit, the pit should be covered with a polythene sheet. This sheet may be secured in

position by placing stones, weights etc on the corners. The cutting should be

watered at least five times a day with a rose can. Every time immediately after

watering the pit should be covered with the polythene sheet. It is advisable todrench the cuttings two-three times with copper oxy chloride (2g/litre after 2-3

weeks of planting the cuttings will start producing roots. These roots will be visible

through the polythene bags. After the initiation of rooting, watering should be

reduced to 3-4 times a day. After about one month, healthy shoots start emerging

from the leaf axil. At this stage it is advisable to keep the cuttings inside the pit that

they will not suffer from any shock when they are taken out the pit.


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The cuttings can be taken out of the pit after two months of planting. Once taken

out they should be invariably kept in a shaded place and watered twice a day.

These cuttings will be ready for field planting after about another 2 months. By

this method 80-85 per cent success can be obtained. Foliar application of nutrient

solution will enhance the growth of the cuttings. Advantages of this method is that

it is simple , cheap and quick as cuttings are ready to plant in about 4 monthscompared to six months in conventional method, and leads to more efficient

utilization of the runner shoots as single node cuttings are used vis a vis four node

cuttings in conventional method .

[email protected]

13th October 201o
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]

propagation techniques in pepper

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