CAPSICUM ANNUUM: CHARACTERISTICS, CULTIVATION, PESTS, PROPERTIES - BIOLOGY - 2025

Capsicum annuum is a species of herbaceous plant belonging to the Solanaceae family, native to South America and widely cultivated worldwide. It is commonly known as sweet pepper, decorative pepper, chilli, chili, bell pepper, paprika, bell pepper, bell peppers, garnish peppers, dwarf peppers or ornamental pepper.

The numerous sizes, shapes, flavors and colors of the fruits indicated by popular culture, actually belong to the Capsicum annuum species. The fruits are used in the traditional cuisine of many countries, being consumed in various ways; raw, cooked and industrially processed.

Capsicum annuum. Source: pixabay.com

The pepper is a medium-sized plant no more than half a meter high, with alternate lanceolate leaves and small white flowers. The hollow and fleshy fruits have high palatability, they are of various sizes and colors, the red one being highly appreciated.

The genetic richness of Capsicum annuum is largely due to the complexity of the climates and soils where it has been grown. As well as the traditional management carried out by the farmers who have used selected seeds of native plants.

General characteristics

Morphology

Capsicum annuum is a medium-sized perennial herbaceous plant that meets an annual production cycle. It has a slightly lignified erect and branched glabrescent stem that reaches an average height of 0.5-1.5 m.

The root system is of the pivoting type, the main root penetrates between 70-120 cm deep. Likewise, it develops a large volume of secondary and adventitious roots.

The simple leaves are glossy dark green, ovate, lanceolate or oval in shape, with straight edges, a sharp apex and a long petiole. The white, erect and pedunculated flowers appear solitary or in small groups in the foliar axils.

The fruit is a semi-cartilaginous hollow berry of a bright yellow or red color, of variable shapes and sizes. The berry is divided into 4 sections where the small seeds -3-5 mm- are located, rounded and yellow in color.

Fruit of Capsicum annuum. Source: pixabay.com

This species blooms during the months of May and August, and bears fruit between July and November. Self-pollination may occur in Capsicum annuum flowers.

Habitat and distribution

Capsicum annuum is native to Mesoamerica where wild varieties are still found, from which the current cultivars were domesticated. As an edible crop, various varieties adapted to particular conditions have been developed around the world.

Its natural habitat is found in the understory of humid gallery forests at altitude levels between 0-2,400 meters above sea level. As a commercial crop, it adapts to different conditions in the tropical and subtropical regions of the planet.

Taxonomy

The genus Capsicum belongs to the Solanaceae family of the Solanales order. It includes several species of agricultural interest, among which are: C. annuum, C. baccatum, C. chinense., C. frutescens and C. pubescens.

• Kingdom: Plantae
• Division: Magnoliophyta
• Class: Magnoliopsida
• Subclass: Asteridae
• Order: Solanales
• Family: Solanaceae
• Subfamily: Solanoideae
• Tribe: Capsiceae
• Genus: Capsicum
• Species: Capsicum annuum L., 1753.

Culture

The cultivation of Capsicum annuum requires an average annual ambient temperature of 20º C, without extreme variations and an average humidity rate. During the establishment phase of the crop, high solar radiation is necessary to promote growth after germination.

Capsicum annuum flowers. Source: Shizhao

The optimal soils for cultivation must have a high content of organic matter, a sandy loam texture and good drainage. Greenhouse cultivation is ideal for controlling the environmental conditions required for large-scale production, mainly sweet varieties.

Genetic management has made it possible to create varieties resistant to the attack of pests and diseases where antifungal genes that promote resistance intervene. Likewise, genetic engineering has favored the transfer of particular genes that regulate resistance to droughts, insects, fungi or viruses.

Plagues and diseases

White spider (

Symptoms manifest as curving of the leaves or curling of the veins of shoots and apical leaves. Severe attacks cause dwarfism and an intense green hue of the plant; the highest incidence occurs in greenhouses with high temperatures.

Red spider (

The insect in conditions of high temperature and dry environment causes discolorations and yellowish spots on the underside of the leaves. High levels of infestation produce desiccation and defoliation of the plant.

Aphid (

During the cool months it develops large colonies that suck the sap from the young shoots. One means of ecological control is the intercrop of basil within the paprika plantation.

Aphids Source: MedievalRich

White fly (

The main damage is presented as a general yellowing and weakening of the plant. Damage is caused by whitefly larvae and adults sucking the sap from the leaves.

Caterpillars

Larvae or caterpillars of different species of Coleoptera or Lepidoptera cause damage to the roots, stem and foliar area. Among them: black donut (Spodoptera sp.), Green worm (Plusia sp.), Tobacco horn worm (Manduca sexta), cutworms (underground Feltia and Agrotis repleta).

Trips (

The damage appears as a spot on the underside of the leaves, caused by larvae and adults when feeding. In the fruits the damage is similar, causing the deterioration of the tissues, necrosis and commercial quality.

Nematodes (

Microscopic worms that produce galls in the root system. They reduce the absorption of water and nutrients causing general decay of the plant manifested as wilting, chlorosis and dwarfism.

Slugs and snails

Mollusks that affect the plant by gnawing on the tissues of leaves and fruits, causing rotting due to loss of water.

Diseases

The pepper crop is susceptible to damage caused by biotic and non-abiotic factors in its different stages of development. Biotic damages are diseases caused by fungi, bacteria or viruses; and abiotics are caused by disturbances in the environment.

Anthracnose in paprika (

Disease caused by a pathogenic fungus that causes necrotic lesions at the level of stems, leaves and ripe fruits. Symptoms appear as an indefinite brown lesion, in fruits the lesion is circular with dark scores.

Gray rot (

Pathogenic fungus that causes lesions on leaves and flowers; in the fruits it causes a white rot covered by the gray mycelium of the fungus. The disease is caused by the accumulation of humidity or drops of water on the plant from irrigation or rain.

White rot (

Persistent disease in greenhouse crops that manifests as an odorless white rot on the affected parts. The lesion is subsequently covered with a white cottony mycelium with numerous sclerotia, causing the death of the plant in severe infections.

Oidiopsis, ash or blanquilla (

The main symptoms are manifested as yellowish spots with a necrotic center across the surface of the leaves. On the underside, a whitish powder is observed; in severe attacks the leaves dry out and defoliation occurs.

Sadness or dry

The plant shows a general wilting of the leaf area without previous yellowing of the leaves. The symptoms are irreversible and are often mistakenly associated with root system problems.

Diseases caused by bacteria and viruses

Soft rot (

The bacteria generally invade the plant through wounds caused at the level of the stem, causing wet rot with a foul odor. Dark and moist stains appear around the wounds that end up deteriorating internal tissues and causing death.

Scab or bacterial scabies (

On the leaves there are small translucent wet spots of a circular or irregular shape with yellow margins and a dark parchment center. On the stem there are dark and bulging pustules; infection is favored by contaminated seed and dispersal by wind or rain.

Virus

The viruses that mainly affect paprika are: pepper mild speckled virus (PMMV), mosaic virus (CMV) and potato virus Y (PVY). As well as, tobacco striatum virus (TSV), tomato tan virus (TSWV), tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) and tomato mosaic virus (TOMV).

Capsicum annuum culture. Source: pixabay.com

Abiotic disorders

Asphyxia of the radical system

The pepper is a crop susceptible to flooding of the soil caused by excess irrigation or poor drainage of the land. The plant dies due to rotting of the root system caused by excess moisture.

Low temperatures

Low temperatures or frosts influence the low size and quality of the fruits. Furthermore, there are deformations of the fruit, the viability of the pollen is reduced and the parthenocarpy of the fruits is induced.

Tearing of the fruit

It occurs due to the high moisture content in the fruits, either caused by excess watering or high relative humidity. The fruit swells, breaking the epidermis, decreasing the commercial quality of the product.

Phytotoxicity

The application of high doses of pesticides can cause physiological alterations in the pepper crop. The symptoms are reflected in yellowish spots, deformation of the fruit, defoliation, wilting, necrosis and death of the plant.

Apical necrosis

It manifests as necrotic damage at the base of the fruit caused by the calcium deficiency of the crop. The damage is associated with sudden changes in temperature, hydric or thermal stress, and high soil salinity.

Fruit burns

It manifests itself as spots caused by dehydration of the fruit as a result of strong sunlight.

Medicinal properties

- The pepper stands out for its antioxidant properties from the compound called lycopene.

- High vitamin content due to its contributions of vitamin A or b-carotene, vitamin B or riboflavin and some amounts of iron.

- The chemical compound capsaicin or capsaicin provides medicinal properties, since it favors digestion and blood circulation.

- Regular consumption of paprika contributes to the regulation of cholesterol and triglyceride levels.

- Topical applications of the maceration of the plant and fruit allow to relieve rheumatic pain.

References

1. Aguirre Hernández, E. and Muñoz Ocotero, V. (2015) Chile as food. Science Magazine. pp 16-23.
2. Benefits and properties of Paprika (2016) paprika from Murcia. Recovered in: pimentondemurcia.es
3. Capsicum annuum (2018) Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Recovered at: es.wikipedia.org
4. Capsicum (2019) Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Recovered at: es.wikipedia.org
5. Greenhouse cultivation of paprika (Capsicum annuum L) (2015) Monthly Bulletin. Inputs and factors associated with agricultural production. DANE. No. 37.
6. Hanan Alipi, Ana María and Mondragón Pichardo, Juana (2009) Conabio. Solanaceae. Capsicum annuum L. Chile piquín. Recovered at: conabio.gob.mx
7. Montes Hernández, S., López, P., Hernández Verduzco, S. & Ramírez Meraz, M. (2018) Collection and analysis of the existing information on the species of the genus Capsicum that grow and are cultivated in Mexico. CONABIO National Council for the Knowledge and Use of Biodiversity. 41 pp.
8. Ramos-Gourcy F. and De Luna-Jiménez A. (2006) Evaluation of three Varieties of Chile (Capsicum annuum L.) in four Concentrations of a hydroponic solution under a greenhouse. Research and Science of the Autonomous University of Aguascalientes. Nº 34. pp 6-11. ISBN 1665-4412