Bell Pepper

Production Guide

This Publication is a project of the Department of Agriculture,

Regional Field Office No. 02, High Value Crops Development
Program. It contains the most recently available and locally adaptable
technical information on Bell Pepper in Region 02.

June 2017
Bell Pepper Production Guide 3

Introduction
Pepper is an erect and bushy plant that grows several
centimeters high. The sweet variety attains a height of 30 to
60 cm. There are varieties however, that grow more than a
meter high and produce for more than one year. The leaves
are somewhat elongated and heart-shaped. The flowers are
white and borne on the axils of the leaves singly or sometime
in pairs. The fruit of the sweet varieties are sometimes in an
upright or pendant position. As a rule, the immature fruits
of sweet pepper are green and they turn red at full maturity.
There is one variety which is creamy when immature and
somewhat yellow when fully ripe.

Sweet pepper requires cool weather for best fruit quality.

In low elevations, October to December planting is best. In
high elevations, it can be grown throughout the year. Sweet
pepper grows well in any type of soil with a pH of 5.5-6.5.
production is best, however, in sandy loam soil. Maximum
fruit set occurs at night temperature of 16oC. Never plant
pepper after tobacco, potato, tomato or eggplant.

Varieties
The following are varieties recommended in Region 02 type
of weather:

California Wonder – short bell – green-OP

Yolo Wonder – short bell – green – OP
Green 500 – long bell – green – F1
Rain Hardy – short bell – green – F1
 4 Bell Pepper Production Guide

Annabel – short bell –green – F1

Blondy – short bell - yellow –F1
Islander – long bell - Violet – F1
King Arthur – long bell – green – F1
Excel – short bell – red F1
Emperor – long bell – red F1

Seedling Production
One hectare requires 100-200 g of seeds. It is best to
produce in nurseries and transplant 3-4 weeks later. Prepare
by incorporating 2-4 kg of manure and 1-2 kg rice hull
charcoal/m2. Prepare 1m wide beds at

Any convenient length, wet the seedbed and make

shallow lines across the bead at 7-10 cm apart. Sow thinly
if no pricking will be done. Cover lightly with a mixture of
manure and rice hull. In case of hybrid seeds, prick to nursery
seedling trays soon after germination. Water the seedlings
by means of sprinkler. Provide temporary shade. Harden
seedlings a week before transplanting.

Land Preparation and Transplanting

Prepare the land thoroughly. For small areas, make plots
0.75 – 1 m wide for two row/plot planting. In bigger areas,
make 0.5-0.75m apart for single row planting. Apply basal
fertilizer at 2 bags/ha 14-14-14 (complete fertilizer) and
organic fertilizer 20 bags/hectare. Transplanting spacing
of 0.3-0.5 m between per hill, preferably 3-4 weeks after
Bell Pepper Production Guide 5

emergence at one seedling per hill. Transplant late in the

afternoon and water immediately to prevent wilting.

Fertilization
• Apply basal fertilizer at 1 tablespoon (tbsp) per hill
during transplanting. This is equivalent to 5-7 bags of
14-14-14 per hectare.
• Place fertilizer on one side of the hole and cover with
a thin layer of soil.
• Sidedress with 10 g Urea (46-0-0) per hill at 30 days, 45
days, and 60 days after transplanting.
• Apply decomposed chicken manure during land
preparation at 3 t/ha and incorporate well with the
soil.
• At the onset of fruiting, apply 1 tbsp of 2:1 mixture of
46-0-0 and 0-0-60.

Irrigation
• Water the plants 2-3 times per week in the first 3
weeks after transplanting during the dry season, or as
needed during the wet season.
• Mulch with rice straw or black plastic sheet to reduce
watering and weeding.
• Provide adequate drainage because excess water
impairs root growth.
 6 Bell Pepper Production Guide

Weeding
• Use plastic mulch to suppress weed growth.
• Weed the furrows regularly but allow creeping weeds
in between furrows.

Insect Pest Management

• Thrips, armyworms, and fruitfly are the most
destructive insect pests.
• Plant insect-repellant crops such as marigold, kutsai
and other aromatic plants, and flowering plants like
sunflower, cosmos, and zinnia to attract insect
predators around the field.
• Use chemical spray only when infestation becomes
serious.

Disease Management
• Bacterial wilt, leaf spot, anthracnose, powdery mildew,
and virus-causing diseases cause severe damage to
the crop.
• Remove and bury or burn infected plant parts.
• Use chemical spray only when infection becomes
serious.

Harvesting
Start harvesting at 80-100 days from transplanting or
3-6 weeks after flowering. Harvest mature green fruits, or
Bell Pepper Production Guide 7

when the fruits are at breaker stage where streaks of red are
beginning to appear.

Post Harvest
Sort fruits according to market standard and separate
good from damaged fruits. Fresh fruits can be stored up to 5
weeks at 40oC humidity.
 8 Bell Pepper Production Guide

Cost and Return Analysis per one Hectare

Items Amount (P)
Variable Costs
Labor (250/MD)
Plowing (mechanized) P2,000
Harrowing (mechanized) 2,000
Rotavation (mechanized) 3,000
Furrowing (5 MD) 1,250
Manure application (5 MD) 1,250
Seedling production (15 MD) 3,750
Mulching w/ rice straw (15 MD) 3,750
Transplanting (10 MD) 2,500
Fertilization;basal (8 MD) 2,000
Side-dress (6 MD) 2,500
Hilling-up (10 MD) 2,500
Irrigation (10 MD) 2,500
Spraying (8 MD) 2,000
Weeding (30 MD) 7,500
Harvesting (20 MD) 5,000
Miscellaneous (pail, gloves, drum) 3,000
Sub-Total P46,500
Bell Pepper Production Guide 9

Materials
Items Amount (P)
Seeds (200 g/ha) 12,000
Manure (20 bags) 5,000
Fertilizers:
14-14-14 (2 bags) 2,000
46-0-0 (2 bags) 1,960
0-0-60 (2 bags) 4,000
Foliar (4 boxes) 800
Insecticide (2 liters) 1,700
Fungicides (2 boxes) 700
Packaging materials (100 plastic bags) 1,000
Sub-Total P29,160
Grand Total P75,660

Gross Income:
Regular Season . . . . . . . .7,000 kgs at P30/kg =P210,000
Offseason. . . . . . . . . . . . .6,000 kgs at P50/kg =P300,000

Net Income:
Regular Season . . . . . . . .P210,000 - P75,660 = P134,340
Offseason. . . . . . . . . . . . .P300,000 – P75,660 =P224,340
 10 Bell Pepper Production Guide

References:

PCARRD Bell Pepper Production Guide,

Information Bulletin No. 270/2008

Cultural Directions for Agricultural Crops, 1986

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 EDITORIAL STAFF

Writer / Editor : Prisca B. Baquiran

Information Officer II

Technical Editors : Celerina T. Miranda

Station Manager, NVES

Layout Artist : Erwin C. Cachero

RAFIS

Editor-in-Chief:

HECTOR U. TABBUN
Information Officer-III
Chief, Regional Agricultural and Fisheries
Information Section (RAFIS)

Consultants:

ROBERT B. OLINARES
OIC-RTD for Operations

ORLANDO J. LORENZANA
Regional Technical Director for
Extension, Research and Regulatory

LUCRECIO R. ALVIAR JR., CESO III

Regional Executive Director
 Produced By:

High Value Crops Development Program (HVCDP)

Contact No. (078) 846-3379

Regional Agricultural and Fisheries Information

Section (RAFIS)
Contact No.: (078) 304-0562
Email Address: [email protected] /
[email protected]