What was it all about?

Long-term productivity trials investigated the value of capsicum rootstocks, varieties, ratooning and shading over the course of this project, which ran in Queensland from 2013 to 2016.

Researchers began with a literature review of plant material, production techniques and technological advances in capsicum and chilli, which informed the subsequent work. In all, the team conducted five trials.

Findings and achievements included:

• Six capsicum graft combinations were field tested and evaluated under Australian growing conditions using Warlock as the scion in five of these combinations and Warlock as a rootstock in one combination
• The act of grafting had no adverse effect on capsicum plant stem diameter or flowering pattern
• New varieties SV6947 and SV9699 had an improved fruit setting pattern, less fruit clumping and marketable yield was as good as, if not better than, Warlock
• Two new varieties believed to have better resistance to bacterial dry leaf spot were field tested prior to their potential release in Australia
• Cutting off mature capsicum plants at the first node above the plant main fork facilitated ratoon growth but did not affect eventual plant height
• Mechanical plant ratooning was as effective as careful hand trimming of mature capsicums
• Root system performance for all graft combinations were compared

A cheap retractable protective net cover reduced sunburn loss by 30 per cent and enhanced fruit quality.