2008 Bell Pepper Variety Evaluation

Timothy E. Elkner, Horticulture Extension Educator
Penn State Cooperative Extension
1383 Arcadia Rd., Rm. 140, Lancaster, PA 17601

Steve Bogash, Horticulture Extension Educator
Penn State Cooperative Extension
181 Franklin Farm Lane, Chambersburg, PA 17202

INTRODUCTION
Cultivar selection influences all other production practices. It is not uncommon for a cultivar to perform well in one region or state and poorly in another because environments and soil types differ. The overall objective of this project was to evaluate several cultivars of bell peppers in three field locations to provide Pennsylvania growers with up-to-date recommendations based on how each cultivar performed regionally and state-wide. This report is on the trial conducted at the Penn State Southeast Research and Extension Center in Landisville.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
Seventeen varieties of bell pepper were grown at the Penn State Southeast Research and Extension Center in Manheim in 2008. The variety listing and seed sources can be found in Table 1. The transplants were set on June 3 in double rows on raised beds covered with black plastic. The distance between plants and rows was 18 inches and the rows were staggered. A single drip line centered between the rows was used for irrigation. A preplant application of 50 lbs. actual N/acre was applied before the beds were formed and a total of 30 lbs. N/ mulched acre was applied through the drip system during the growing season. The row middles were planted with annual ryegrass and mowed during the growing season. Each variety was grown in 10-plant blocks and there were four replications per variety in a randomized complete block design. The plants were staked to prevent lodging. Standard pest management practices were followed based upon the 2008 Commercial Vegetable Production Recommendations guide.

All peppers from a block were harvested and graded into marketable and cull categories at each harvest. The peppers in each category were then counted and weighed. Harvest dates were July 25, August 3, 14 and 22, September 3, 15 and 25 and October 14.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The 2008 growing season was hot and dry and overall disease and insect pressure was low. Foliar potassium deficiency symptoms became visible in the planting in September and a deficiency was confirmed by tissue analysis. Corrective measures were taken but overall yields in the trial may have been lowered as a result of this deficiency.

Extrapolating yield per plant to estimated production per acre, Excursion II had the highest yields per plant (Table 1). Escalade was second followed by Excursion, Revolution and then Lantern and Red Bull with the same estimated yields. Excursion, Excursion II and Revolution had the largest overall fruit size at close to one-half lb. average fruit weight. During the summer field day at the research farm in August, numerous attendees commented on the large fruit from these cultivars.

Some general comments on varieties are as follows. Remember that this data is from one season. The trial will be repeated in 2009.

Photographs of the varieties grown at Lancaster in 2008 can be seen by clicking on the pepper name in either table. Additional information on other variety trials can be viewed at: http://capitalhort.cas.psu.edu/Default.html. Select "Research/Variety Trails". We would like to thank the PA Vegetable Marketing and Research Board for their support of this research.

Table 1: Yield and seed source for 17 varieties of bell pepper grown at the Southeast Research and Extension Center in Landisville, PA in 2008.

*Based on 9680 plants per acre