Manures and Fertilizers:
Well rotten farm yard manure at the rate of 25-35 t/ha should be incorporated in the soil one month before seed bed preparation. Before transplanting 70-80 kg of phosphorus and 35 kg of nitrogen and 50 kg of potash per hectare should be thoroughly mixed in the soil. This should be followed with a supplementary dose of 25 kg of nitrogen per hectare at the time of fruit setting. Large application of nitrogenous fertilizers should be avoided as it increases vegetative growth and delays maturity.

Irrigation:
The first watering is given immediately after sowing and transplanting. Thereafter chilies are usually irrigated every week in summer. Within 15 days of transplanting, it is necessary to apply at least 2 to 3 irrigations for the establishment of the seedlings after that subsequent irrigations should be given at every 10 days interval. Irrigation interval can be increased or decreased according to climatic conditions.

Harvesting:
For drying, chilies should be picked when fully ripe and red in colour. After picking the chilies should be spread out in thin layer on mats in the sun for during. Care should be taken not to heap up freshly harvested crop for a long time, as this is apt to rot.

Varieties:
Important varieties grown in the country ate Longhi, Talhari, Gothki, Tatapuri, Narwala, Qaisar and area under total cultivation in Sindh and about 50% of total acreage under chilies in Pakistan.

Diseases:
The chili crop is subject to diseases which may become very destructive. Seed treatment, crop rotation, seed bed sterilization and fungicide/insecticide sprays, are general control measures that should be followed.

Damping-off:
Damping-off is often very destructive to young seedlings, causing the stems to decay near the soil line. Usually it can be kept under control by planting treated seeds in rows 4 to 6 inches apart in well drained beds.

Viral Diseases:
Cucumber Mosaic Virus:
CMV is transmitted by aphid vectors. Infected plants exhibit mosaic mottling, blistering, narrowing and deformation of leaves.
Control: All the infected plants should be removed from the field. Spray suitable insecticide for the control of aphids.

Chili Leaf Curl:
The virus is transmitted by whitefly. Curling and yellowing of the leaves and severe stunting of the plants are characteristic symptoms. The leaves are greatly reduced in size with their margins curled upward giving them a boat shape.
Control: All the infected plants should be removed from the field. Spray suitable insecticide for the control of aphids.

Phytophthora Blight:
The disease is characterized by a dark brown stem discoloration extending upward from the soil line accompanied by a sudden wilt of the entire plant without foliar yellowing.

Control

• The collar-rot incidence can be reduced by growing plants on ridges that provide good drainage.

• Controlled irrigation can reduce the chance of the disease spread. Care should be exercised that water should not run over the ridges and touch the base of the plant.

• A crop rotation cycle of al least 3 years should be followed. The scheme should not include tomato, brinjal, cucurbits and bean as these are also prone to the pathogen.