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Chilli fertilizer schedule (30-40 d and 100-150 d)

TNAU's package of practices for irrigated chilli specifies a basal organic-plus-NPK dose at planting and two split nitrogen top-dressings during vegetative growth, with ICAR-IIHR's drip-fertigation guidelines adapting the same nutrient envelope into weekly micro-doses.

Principle

The schedule provides early canopy establishment (basal N-P-K plus FYM), supports vegetative growth through the 30 and 60 DAT top-dressings, and shifts to higher N-K plus calcium / magnesium / boron during flowering and pod-fill (100-150 DAT) to retain flowers (Disorder Chilli Flower Bud Drop) and improve pod quality.

Implementation

The TNAU recommendation for irrigated chilli is:

  • Basal — 25 t/ha farmyard manure plus 30:60:30 kg/ha N:P:K
  • First top-dressing — 30 kg N/ha at 30 DAT
  • Second top-dressing — 30 kg N/ha at 60 DAT
  • Potash source — potassium sulphate (K2SO4) preferred for quality and colour
  • Fertigation — ICAR-IIHR guidelines convert the schedule into weekly micro-doses under drip, with higher N-K at flowering and pod-fill
  • Micronutrient sprays — Ca, Mg, B foliar sprays at flowering and pod-fill to reduce flower drop and blossom-end disorders (Chilli Yellow Leaf Pandaku)

Adoption context

The schedule is the formal TNAU and vikaspedia recommendation for the south Indian rainfed and irrigated chilli belt and is applied across Guntur, Teja and Byadgi varieties (Chilli Guntur Sannam, Chilli Teja Segment, Chilli Byadgi Segment). It is the nutrient-management half of the chilli package; the plant-protection half is captured in the IPM spray schedule (Practice Chilli Spray Schedule).

Limitations

The basal-plus-split protocol assumes adequate soil moisture and is calibrated for surface application; drip-irrigation growers should follow the ICAR-IIHR fertigation schedule rather than scaling the surface-application doses. K2SO4 is more expensive than muriate of potash, which constrains adoption among low-margin growers.

Practice Chilli Nursery Raising, Practice Chilli Spray Schedule, Disorder Chilli Flower Bud Drop, Chilli Yellow Leaf Pandaku

References

  1. Manuring of chilli. TNAU Agritech horticulture page.
  2. Fertigation schedule. ICAR-IIHR.