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India needs to develop chillies resistant to emerging diseases: Expert
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Friday, 24 July, 2020, 08 : 00 AM [IST]
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Nandita Vijay, Bengaluru
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India needs to develop chilli varieties or F1 (filial) hybrids having resistance to newly emerging diseases such as Chilli Leaf Curl Virus. Besides, focus on varieties suitable for different market segments.
“Even as many improved varieties are cultivated in India, there is still a strong need to develop a better selection. This includes high pungency and colour for industrial use,” said Dr K Madhavi Reddy, Principal Scientist, Division of Vegetable Crops, ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, while speaking to F&B News.
“It is here ICAR-IIHR has been engaged in extensive research for chillies. These cover crop improvement, yield, fruit quality and resistance to biotic & abiotic stresses. Further in the area of crop production, there is considerable attention towards nutrient management and organic cultivation,” she added.
The varieties of chilly being researched at the institute are Arka Suphal, Arka Abhir, Arka Harita, Arka Meghana, Arka Khyati and Arka Sweta. “For improved varieties, we need to use quality seed & seedlings, besides adhere to Good Agricultural Practices (GAP),” she noted.
Chillies are prone to diseases and are highly susceptible to pests. The major pests are Thrips, Mites and Gall midge. Some of the major diseases are fungal which is a powdery mildew, ‘Phytophthora’ root rot, anthracnose fruit rot, Viral: CMV, ChiVMV, ChiLCV and GBNV
Chilli crop is also impacted by the weather. It is mainly cultivated during Kharif season for dry chilli purpose. During Rabi and summer season, green chillies are cultivated. For the rain-fed cultivation, rainfall distribution plays a major role. There is also stress of heat during summer. However in winter the crop growth will be slow. During the cooler seasons there is a threat of Aphids as vectors transmit viruses like CMV and ChiVMV.
During the prolonged dry spells of the cropping period, the whitefly population will increase and as a vector transmits ChiLCV, which is very serious. If temperature increases beyond 35 degree centigrade then it the threat of pests, virus and mites, according to her.
ICAR-IIHR has all the required lab facilities to screen for resistance, fruit quality analysis. The molecular biology lab allows for marker assisted breeding. The labs services are extended to private parties on payment basis.
“In Karnataka, popular chilly varieties are the commercial F1 hybrids of various companies and local varieties like Byadagi Kaddi and Dabbi. Now Byadagi has GI tag and efforts are on to cross pollinate the crop up to the extent of 70%. Proper isolation of plants must be maintained to retain the genetic purity of chilli varieties,” said Dr Reddy.
Byadagi is a village in Haveri district. But the chillies are grown also in Dharwad district. As Byadagi chilli is susceptible to major pests & diseases, farmers started growing commercial F1 hybrids for assured yields. “However, an exclusive research station at the UAS, Dharwad, located in Devihosur works exclusively on Byadagi chilli,” she said.
Future efforts at the IIHR Chilli lab will be to develop molecular markers linked to anthracnose fruit rot resistance, which will be used in the chilli crop improvement programme. Right now we are in the process of developing ChLCV resistant improved varieties. There is also breeding for highly pungent chilli varieties for industrial use. In addition, root stock breeding, which is having combined resistance to major soil-borne pathogens is underway, according to Dr Reddy.
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