Influence of N and Plant Spacing on Mechanically Harvested Tabasco Pepper

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Abstract
Nitrogen rate and in-row plant spacing significantly influenced yields of mechanically harvested red Tabasco (Capsicum frutescens L.) pepper. Red pepper yields increased with an increase in N rate from 0 to 112 kg N/ha, and a decrease in in-row plant spacing from 81 to 10 cm. The percentage of machine harvested red pepper in relation to green and orange fruit removal was enhanced with 20 cm in-row spaced plants. Tabasco plant height increased with an increase in N rate from 0 to 112 kg N/ha, while plant diameter decreased with a decrease in in-row spacing from 81 to 10 cm. Conventionally spaced (81 cm in-row spacing) Tabasco plants were damaged substantially more during mechanical harvesting than 10 cm in-row spaced plants. Early season leaf-petiole tissue N concentrations had higher correlations with red pepper yields than did late season tissue N concentrations. Multiple harvests of red Tabasco pepper with a flail-type machine produced yields similar to those obtained with hand harvesting.

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