Brad Bergefurd, Extension Agent, Horticulture

Thom Harker, Research Assistant, Horticulture

Ohio State University Extension Enterprise Center

1864 Shyville Road, Piketon, Ohio 45661-9749

(740) 289-3727 , bergefurd.1@osu.edu

This colored sweet pepper trial compared 14 cultivars using 3 replicates of each cultivar. Objectives were to evaluate potential colored pepper cultivars for their suitability in a southern Ohio growing and marketing season.

Planting: Seeded April 9, 1998 into 98-cell Pro Trays using a peat-vermiculite soilless mix. Cells were thinned as needed to 1 plant/cell. Plants were field planted on June 1, 1998 at Hillsboro, Ohio.

Spacing: Rows were 5 feet apart, with plants set into twin rows on raised beds at 18" spacing between plants in the row and 12" spacing between double rows. The beds were covered with black plastic mulch with trickle irrigation under the mulch prior to planting. 14 plants per plot (5' x 10') provided a plant density of approximately 13,600 plants per acre.

Soil Type: Haubstadt Silt Loam

Fertilizer: Applied 120 lbs N., 120 lbs. K20 and 120 lbs. P2O5 per acre prior to planting according to soil test recommendations. 20-20-20 (1 lb./100 gal. 8 oz. per plant) with transplanting water. * Foliar applied Epsom Salts at 1 lb./ Acre on July 14th.

Weed Control:   1.75 pt/A Treflan 4E pre plant incorporated on 5/21/98 Hand hoed and cultivated as necessary.

Pest Management:  None

Irrigation: Trickle Irrigated 9/15 and 9/25.

Harvests (4): 8/31, 9/10, 9/21 and 10/2.

RESULTS:

Marketable, U.S. Fancy and U.S. No. #1 , Yields for the replicated cultivars ranged from 7.2 tons per acre(EX12266) to 1.9 tons per acre(Commandant). Buyers included wholesale buyers, restaurant chefs and farm market operators. All colors were in high demand with the least demand for white and light yellow peppers.

Table 1. Yields from replicated and observation colored pepper trial: OSU Extension Enterprise Center, Hillsboro, Ohio 1998.