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Zimbabwe Mozambique Zambia

Practical Action Southern Africa
No. Ludlow Road,
Av. Ahmed Senou Toure No 863
Maputo, Mozambique
c/o DAPP
3 Ndola Road PAPRIKA PRODUCTION
Newlands, Harare, Zimbabwe
Tel:(+263 4) 776631-3, 776107
Tel:(+258 21) 327887/8
Fax:(+263 21) 327828
Kabwe, Zambia
TECHNICAL GUIDELINES PRACTICAL ACTION
Technology challenging poverty

Fax:(+263 4) 788157
Email:practicalaction@practicalaction.org.zw
Website:www.practicalaction.org
 7 PAPRIKA PRODUCTION Technical Guidelines PAPRIKA PRODUCTION Technical Guidelines

Forced drying
o This is the most efficient and reliable means of drying paprika – regardless of
weather condition.
Buildings can be converted into dryers. TABLE OF CONTENTS
o Heat is forced into dryers just like in tobacco drying. Tobacco barns can be
successfully used in paprika drying.
o It must be noted that the temperature of the dryer must not exceed 50 degrees as
the oil in the pods are adversely affected above this temperature. 1 Introduction
Grading
Three grades are available
A –grade- Dark red/ maroon pods which are free from blemishes.
B –grade-Dark red/maroon pods with up to20% blemishes.
2 Seed Beds, Fumigation & Sowing
C –grade- Paler red or orange pods with over 20% blemishes.

White pods and those totally diseased are not saleable. It is better to consult local
agronomists for grading specifications. 3 Transplanting and Fertilization
Packaging
Buyers usually provide packaging material. Product can be packed in Hessian or cotton
packs. 4 Nematode control
Points to note when bailing:
o Ensure that the seed is not left out of the bale. It will be assumed that the product is
70 percent% pod material and 30 percent % seed.
o Be certain that the product is at 12 percent% moisture content or below.
5 Disease control
o Any foreign matter will be weighed and deducted from your weights
o As soon as bailing is complete, the product should be sent to buyers so that the
quality is maintained. 6 Harvesting and Drying
Key Implementing Partners
? Paprika producing companies: Product processing
? Supermarkets and chain stores: Retailing 7 Grading and Packaging
? Packaging companies: Packaging
? Local authorities and institutions responsible for agricultural commodities: access to
the resource
? Standards Institutions: Maintenance of standards
? Ministry of Health: Health standards

December 2009
 1 PAPRIKA PRODUCTION Technical Guidelines PAPRIKA PRODUCTION Technical Guidelines 6
Introduction
Bacterial Soft Rot (Erwinia caratovora pv.)
Infection generally begins in the stalk and calyx of ripening fruit. Internal tissue near sight of infection becomes
Paprika (capsicum Annuum) belongs) belongs to the Solanaceae family which has amongst its
dark and watery and very foul smelling. Infected pods turn dark brown and fall off the plant within a few days.
members potatoes, green peppers, egg plant etc. Weeds which are in the same family are
thorn apple, wild gooseberry ,Sodomgooseberry, Sodom apple and apple of apple of PeruPeru, Fungal diseases
among others etc. These solanaceous plants share the same pests and diseases. Most fungal diseases attack roots and stems.
Powdery Mildew. (Leveillula tauricia)
These technical guidelines are meant for potential paprika producers and/or supporting Causes widespread defoliation of the crop. It in turn leads to sun scorch and loss of exposed pods. Disease is
agencies. They provide information on some of the requirements necessary for the expected from November till April.
establishment of paprika farming projects. Technical guidelines presented in this publication
Visible symptoms are slightly yellow patches on the older leaves. On the underside of the
include: Requirements and key implementation steps. The implementation steps – among
leaves , tiny black spots and white filsments can be seen growing out.
others – include:
Wettable sulphur is the most effective preventive chemical. Bayfidan 250EC can also be
· Sowing
used as a preventive measure.
· Watering
Anthroracnose (Collection capsici)
· Seed bed pest and disease control Symptoms are seen as lesions on the pod waolls. They appear randomly placed on blossom
· Transplanting seedlings and rot. The inside of the lesion within the pod is covered in what appears to be a white
· Crop protection mould.
· Disease control Disease is spread mechanically and through water.
· Harvesting Regular prophylactic sprays of copper oxychloride and dithane M45 will help control the
· Drying disease.
· Grading
· Packaging Harvesting
Paprika growth and development is very temperature dependant. Prolonged warm weather
Legal Requirements can speed up germination, growth development and maturing of pods. Seedling produced
There is legislation that governs the production of paprika in Zimbabwe. The statutory crop registers the first real flush of flowers 4 -6 weeks after planting. Direct seeded crop
instrument allows instrument allows for greater pest and diseases control and need to be start flowering from 8-12 weeks after emergence. From the time of this flowering flush,
abided by. The gazetted dates are as follows: pods should be ready for harvesting within 14-16 weeks. Once pods have reached their full
· Earliest date for seed bed sawing – 1st June size, they change from green to bright red whilst still fully turgid. From bright red the pods
· Earliest date for transplanting - 1st September slowly darken to maroon and losing turgidity. Stalks start to dry out and calyx turn yellow.
· Destruction of seed beds – before - 1st January Pod become leathery to touch and easily wrapped around one`s finger without splitting.
· Destruction of crops in the land - 1st July This is the time to harvest as the ASTAs are at their highest.
Requirements o Artificial ripening can be practical if the need arises but the ASTA content of pods
will be reduced.
Key Implementation Steps Drying
o Remove calyxes before drying.
Altitude and Climate and Climate o Desirable moisture content at final drying is 10-12%
Paprika can grow anywhere in Zimbabwe though some regions produce better and more easily
grown crops than others - i.e. the warmer drier regions. Frost kills the crop. Sun drying
This is a practical, affordable, cheap and efficient way of drying pods during long spells of
Soil dry weather.
Paprika can grow in a variety of soils from light sands to very heavy soils. It does well on the o The harvested pods should be laid out in a single layer over a plastic sheeting
richer soils. Good drainage is very critical in the crops production of the crops. spread on the open ground. The pods should be turned once a day. Leave the pods
in the sun until the moisture the content is at 12 percent.2%

Air drying
This method relies mainly on the atmospheric temperature. The crop will be put on
drying racks in a shade. Natural flowing atmospheric air does the drying.
 5 PAPRIKA PRODUCTION Technical Guidelines PAPRIKA PRODUCTION Technical Guidelines 2
Aphids Seed Beds
Aphids transmit viral diseases. They also secrete honeydew which acts as a substrate for black A good quality seedlings is one with a large healthy root system. Quality is therefore
sooty mould. Chemicals like Tamaron, rogor, metasystox 25EC can be used to control aphids. imperative. Seedling quality affects the final yield.

Thrips Seed bed site

Tiny insects which attack flowers and terminal buds . Cause physical damage and are
responsible for spreading tomato spotted wilt virus. Thrips affect Thrips affect leaves to ·Well drained soils
develop a silvery sheen which later becomes russet brown. Pods become stunted and curled. ·PH of between 5.5 to 6.5
The pest is very difficult to control. Mesurol 80WP has been the chemical in use. Malathion ·Must not follow another solanaceous crop for at least three3 years.
and thionex can also be used to controlthe common Thrips tabaci ·Keep the site as sterile as possible.
·Avoid smoking or carrying cigarettes or snuff at the seed bed site.
Heliothis ballworm
The young larvae feed on buds, flowers and young pods.Full cover spray of any of Lannate 90 Water for seed bed
SP, Tamaron 600SL, thionex 35EC will give good control.
Should preferably be borehole water but where river water is to be used, a settling tank or
Disease Control reservoir must be put in place to avoid nematode infection.
A prophylactic spray programme on a regular basis using correct chemicals is recommended.
A meticulous scouting programme must be in place. Fumigation
Management e.g. irrigation, fertilization weed control must be well done to produce a healthy
and high yielding crop. It is very important to destroy nematodes and some grass seeds at the seed bed before
sowing.
Viral diseases
Disease Vector Because inorganic fumigation like methyl bromide are expensive, farmers can sterilize the
Pepper mottle Aphid seed bed by applying heat. This can be achieved by putting a layer of dry trash on the surface
Chili veinal mottle of the of the seed bed and burn. If done well, the heat must be able to sterilize the soil up to
Potato virus Y a depth of 30cm of seed bed soil.
Alfalfa mosaic
Tobacco batch Seed bed fertilization
Tomato spotted wilt Thrips
Chilli leaf curl White fly Uniformly broadcast 1kg of compound S (7:21:7) over an area of 7 – 11 square meters. The
Texas pepper geninivirus higher rate applies rate applies to sandier soils and the lower rate to heavier soils. The Basal
Tigre disease fertilizer must be incorporated before seeding to a depth of 5-10 cm.
Pepper mild mottle Mechanically
Tobacco Mosaic virus Sowing
Tomato mosaic virus
Seed rate is 800 to 1000g per hectare to be planted out.
Efforts must be made to stop further spread of disease.
Destroy the vectors Saw by hand at 4x 4cm spacing. After dropping cover the seed lightly with soil and mulch. The mulch must be
Keep contact with plants by people and machinery to minimum. uniformly even. Uneven mulch results in uneven temperatures, moisture and light and therefore unsatisfactory
Any virus infected plant must be rogued and destroyed on sight. seedling growth. Use locally available material and in most cases, grass.

Bacterial diseases Watering

Bacterial spot (Xanthomonas cmpesttris) Most seed bed problems stem from incorrect watering. The amount of water applied to your beds must equal the
Small, water soaked spots on the upper side of leaves grow, forming large brown areas and amount lost through evaporation and transpiration. The first watering after seeding must provide link up with the
causing leaves to fall of. Total defoliation can result causing severe pod loss through sun residual soil moisture. Once germination is complete, depending on soil type and mulch, watering can become
scorch kocide 101 or dethane M45 can put disease under control. less frequent. Watering should be done after 8am and before 3pm to avoid soil temperature dropping below 15
degrees C.
 3 PAPRIKA PRODUCTION Technical Guidelines PAPRIKA PRODUCTION Technical Guidelines 4
Top Dressing Top dressing begins at flowering when application of nitrogen and potash commence. This
The first dressing of 10-20g calcium or sodium nitrate per square metre should be applied needs to be done regularly (particularly on light soils) at about 2 – 3 week interval using AN.
when the first true leaves develop. This should be repeated a week later. This second This equates to 120kg AN (split into 2 top dressings) or top dressed in 100kg applications
application must be dissolved in water and applied uniformly to the bed just before watering. along with one of the nitrogen applications.

Seedbed Pest and Disease control Nematode Control

Hygiene is critical in this process. Nematodes cause stunted growth, wilting vulnerability to disease and pale in colour. Rotation
Seed bed site and surrounding area must be kept free of weeds as they are a fine source of is therefore very important and if susceptibility is expected fumigation of the land by EDB
pest and disease infection becomes necessary Vydate or nemat chemicalsnemat chemicals may be used as fumigants.
Sterilize all tools and other materials used at the seed bed site. Rate - 800ml in 100 litres of water per hectare.
Diseases of economic importance are anthracnose, altenaria, sore skin and trichodema.
Chemicals for the treatment of disease may be sourced from agro dealers. Transplanting seedlings
Pests of importance are ants, cutworms, leaf minors, aphids and thrips. Planting seedlings in the land is the most critical operation in the crop's life. It should be
done correctly:.
Hardening
At about four 4 weeks before lifting begin hardening . hardening. Withhold water until ·Land should be irrigated to field capacity prior to transplanting.
seedlings show stress or wilting as early as 9.30am. Then water with a thorough soaking to
12cm depth and leave again until wilting occurs at 930am. Repeat the process until 3 days ·Seedlings must not lye drying in the sun waiting to be planted
before lifting.
·Seedlings must be planted absolutely vertical. Any slanting will encourage lodging
Clipping and Root Pruning later.
These are done to promote root development and to check seedling over-growth respectively.
These operations should be done hygienically. ·Roots must be covered completely by soil, but the soil should come no higher than
the than the cotyledon nodes on the stem.
Lifting
Three days before lifting – first thorough watering. ·Tap root should not be bend. Must be planted pointing directly downwards.
Two 2 days before watering – apply Baytan 15 WP drench, and 6 hours later apply an aphicide
drench.
·No air spaces should be left around roots.
One 1 day before lifting – final watering late in the afternoon.
Throughout lifting, the beds must be kept moist.
As soon as lifting is complete, destroy the seedbed. ·Cutworm control pyrenthroid should be applied at planting.

Transplanting ·Crop must not be stressed. Irrigation be on a 4 or 5 day internal interval from
The land must be brought to a suitable tilth and irrigated to field capacity before planting onwards until well established
transplanting.
Spacing ranges from 18 -20cm x 1-1.3. This range gives population of 55 555 and 38 460 ·Always keep land free from weeds
plants per hectare respectively. Directly sawn spacing are 20cm x 1.4m for an early September
crop. A mid November in situ (under natural conditions seeded) seeded crop requires a Direct Seeding (Insitu)
spacing of 18cm x 1.1m. Direct seeding ensures no disturbance of the plants root system which has several benefits.
There is no shock period whilst young. The result is a healthy plant which yields with better
Fertilization ASTA.
Correct recommendations are obtained from soil analysis. The basal compound fertilizer need
to be positioned beneath the surface of the soil within the root zone before planting. Over the Crop Protection
duration of the season, crop with high potential high potential yield of 3-6 tonnes will Pest control
require applied macro nutrients per hectare as follows. Nematodes
Nitrogen 200 - 350 Fumigation before planting
Phosphate 100 – 200 Cutworms and Ants
Potash 250 – 450 Drench with orthen 75WP or Tamaron