Module III: Soil and Climatic Requirements
Lesson 2: Climatic Requirements for Chili Pepper
After completing this lesson, you have learned to answer:
1. Describe the ecological conditions required for chili
pepper cultivation?
2. What is the optimum temperature requirement for chili
pepper ?
3. What is the optimum temperature required for
germination of chili pepper ?
4. How cool temperatures affect chili pepper germination?
5. How much of rainfall is required for good chili pepper
yields?
Module III: Soil and Climatic Requirements
Lesson 2: Climatic Requirements for Chili Pepper
Chili pepper can grow in a wide
range of ecological conditions and
can still yield well even under
unfavorable conditions of drought
stress and high temperatures.
Red dots indicate chili pepper
growing environment
Peppers are frost-intolerant warmweather annuals that grow best at
70 to 80 degrees F temperatures.
Peppers have less cold tolerance
than tomatoes, although more than
eggplants.
Module III: Soil and Climatic Requirements
Lesson 2: Climatic Requirements for Chili Pepper
Temperatures below 59 degrees F during ripening reduce
capsaicin content and fruit will not set at night temperatures
below 60 degrees F.
Peppers have more drought tolerance in terms of plant survival
than either tomatoes or eggplants, but will abort young fruit
at high temperatures (> 80 degrees F day or 70 degrees F
night) and low humidity even if adequate soil moisture is
present.
Module III: Soil and Climatic Requirements
Lesson 2: Climatic Requirements for Chili Pepper
Chili pepper requires warm conditions but it can be
grown under a wide range of conditions.
It is also widely grown in temperate regions and at
altitudes of up to 2300 m in the tropics.
It can tolerate cold temperature throughout its life
cycle better than any other crop.
Module III: Soil and Climatic Requirements
Lesson 2: Climatic Requirements for Chili Pepper
Flowers must be pollinated within 24 to 30 hours of opening, so
1 to 2 days of hot, dry conditions can result in lower fruit set,
especially on bell types. Flowers can also be lost at high
temperatures.
Fruits from early flowers are usually large and have greater red
color content at maturity.
Fruits do not set when mean temperatures are below 60oF or
above 90oF. However, flowers drop when night temperatures are
above 75oF.
Fruit set may be stalled if temperatures rise above 90oF after
several flowers have set and fruits are developing.
Module III: Soil and Climatic Requirements
Lesson 2: Climatic Requirements for Chili Pepper
Chile is a shallow-rooted crop and needs 4 to 5 acre-feet of
water between planting and harvest. Up to 70% of the water
absorbed by full-canopy chili is removed from the top 1 foot
of soil.
Irrigation volume varies with the amount of plant foliage,
wind, sunlight, temperature fluctuation and relative
humidity.
Apply water on a 5- to 7-day schedule between late June and
July, before summer rains begin.