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Chilli nursery and raised-bed seedling production

The chilli nursery is the foundational operation of the Indian chilli package of practices. Vikaspedia, TNAU and ICAR-IIHR converge on a raised-bed nursery protocol designed to suppress damping-off and to keep seedlings clear of early thrips and whitefly colonisation.

Principle

The nursery is raised on beds 15 cm above ground level to provide drainage that suppresses Pythium- and Phytophthora-driven damping-off (Chilli Damping Off Nursery Rot). A 50% shade net moderates temperature, while 40-50 mesh insect-proof side netting excludes whitefly (a vector of chilli leaf curl virus, Disease Chilli Leaf Curl Virus) and thrips (Pest Thrips Parvispinus Black Thrips).

Implementation

Standard practice (October-end to mid-November sowing in south India):

  • Beds — raised 15 cm above ground, oriented for drainage
  • Cover — 50% shade net plus 40-50 mesh insect-proof side netting
  • Substrate — 300 kg sterilised cocopeat amended with 5 kg neem cake plus Azospirillum and PSB
  • Seed treatment — thiram 3 g/kg or carbendazim 2 g/kg, followed by Trichoderma viride 5 g/kg or Pseudomonas fluorescens 10 g/kg
  • Drench — copper oxychloride at 2.5 g/L at 15-day intervals against damping-off
  • Transplant — seedlings ready at 30-40 days, 15-20 cm tall

Adoption context

The protocol is the formal recommendation across vikaspedia and the Spices Board's good agricultural practices, and underpins both Guntur, Teja and Byadgi commercial production (Chilli Guntur Sannam, Chilli Teja Segment, Chilli Byadgi Segment).

Limitations

The high cost of insect-proof nets, shade structures and certified cocopeat is the principal adoption constraint among smallholders. The protocol must also be paired with the main-field IPM spray schedule (Practice Chilli Spray Schedule) and balanced NPK regime (Practice Chilli Fertilizer Schedule) to realise its benefits.

Chilli Damping Off Nursery Rot, Disease Chilli Root Stem Rot, Practice Chilli Spray Schedule, Practice Chilli Fertilizer Schedule

References

  1. Chillies — package of practices. vikaspedia.in.
  2. Chilli good agricultural practices. Spices Board India.