Jalapeno peppers are warm-season crops with a long growing season. Good amount of sunlight and water are essential requirements. They are sensitive to climatic conditions during blossom development and fruiting. A temperature above 32°C may lead to flower abortion. They thrive well under 2–5 cm of rainfall or irrigation per week, depending on the soil type and growth stage of the crop. As a rule, jalapeno peppers require more water after fruiting than before fruiting.

Jalapenos can be grown in any soil. But for maximum yield and quality crop, rich fertile, well-drained, sandy- loam, alkaline soils are ideal. Ideal pH is between 5.0 and 6.5. Jalapeno plants are moderately salt tolerant.

Both open-pollinated and hybrid varieties are available in the market. Difference between these two varieties is given below:

Open-pollinated Hybrids- Seed propagation results in true-to-type generation. Yield is low as compared to hybrids

Hybrids- Seed from hybrid plants are not true-to-type. Growers have to buy fresh seeds every year but yield is high

Commercial varieties of jalapeno peppers are available from seed companies from Asia and North America. A list of major commercial varieties of jalapeno peppers is given below:

  1. Jalapa- A popular variety in Asia
  2. Waialua- Resistant to root-knot nematodes and to bacterial wilt; a popular variety among home-gardeners in Hawaii
  3. Jalapeno M- A popular variety in Asia
  4. Mitla- A popular variety in Asia
  5. TAM Mild Jalapeño- A mild variety of jalapeno released by an American university

Where to Find Technical Information?

In USA, seed availability-related information is available from USDA while growers located in the Asian continent may contact the Asian Vegetable Research and Development Center for further information.

Parameters for Varietal Selection

Major parameters that are used for varietal selections are,

  1. Target market (e.g. local vs. global; processing vs. fresh)
  2. Results of the local variety trials
  3. Desired horticultural traits that are required to meet the needs of the target market (such as yield, color, shape, and flavor)
  4. Adaptability to a particular location
  5. Tolerance or resistance to fungal, bacterial and viral diseases
  6. Tolerance to root-knot nematodes, insects and pests

Propagation: Jalapeno pepper plants are mainly propagated through seeds. Favorable temperature for seeds germination is 15–30°C.

Raising of Seedlings: Seedlings are raised in well-prepared nursery beds. Nursery beds are prepared in a well-shaded area and seeds are either broadcasted or sown in rows in nursery beds. Germination process is slow and it may take up to 12 weeks for the seeds to germinate. Regular light watering is necessary to keep the nursery bed moist always. Moist soil facilitates quick germination of the seeds and seedlings will become ready for transplanting in the main field when they reach up to 6-8 weeks old.

Transplanting: Six to eight week old seedlings or seedlings with four or more true leaves are transplanted indwell-prepared fields where sunlight is abundantly available. Before planting the seedlings, field is well prepared by mixing bulk loads of FYM (farm yard manure or barn yard manure) or organic compost in the topsoil to enrich the soil fertility. Since seedlings are prone to direct frost, care should be taken to minimize frost damage.

Planting Time: Seedlings are transplanted after the frost is over. That is, ideal time for transplanting is from February to March for spring crop.

Land Preparation: Primary tillage and land preparation operations include chopping prior crop residues, ploughing and tilling the land, leveling, and preparation of field beds. These operations are generally performed from December through January in tropical and sub-tropical regions. FYM (farm yard manure) or compost may be applied @ 25 tons/hectare (10-12 tons/acre) at the time of land preparation to improve the fertility of the top soil. Other practices that can be adopted for improving soil fertility are use of organic mulches; rotations with green manures or other cover crops and adding biofertilizers that help improve beneficial microbial associations. For example, mycorrhizal associations with the plant roots increase the uptake of phosphorus (P) in P-deficient soils.

Spacing: A spacing of 12 inches apart between the plants within a row and a spacing of 18 inches between two rows is recommended for intensive commercial production.

For other purposes such as vegetable gardening and home gardening purposes, a spacing of at least 24 inches between two plants and 3 feet between two rows may be practiced.

Adequate spacing between two plants and between two rows/ridges is necessary because of the vigorous vegetative growth habit of jalapeno plants. An individual plant may grow up to 3 feet high upon maturity.

Planting Density: Recommended planting density is approximately 14,500 – 15,000 transplants per acre (approx. 30,000/ha).

Flowering: Flowering begins approximately after 8 weeks of transplanting.

Watering or Irrigation: Watering depends on the prevailing climatic conditions and soil types. Watering is done on every alternate day when climate is mild and daily watering is recommended when climate is dry. Light sandy soils will require more frequent irrigations than heavier soils. Major point is to keep the soil moist always and avoid overwatering. Excess moisture in the root zone may lead to rotting of the roots while lack of adequate moisture results in loss of flowers and fruit drop.

Weeding: Frequent manual weeding is recommended for jalapeno plants. Care should be taken to keep the field free of weeds as vigorous-growing weeds may compete for nutrition with the jalapeño plants. Black plastic mulch may also be used for weed control. If weed infestation is very high, chemical weed control by using recommended herbicides may be practiced.

Staking: Staking using either wooden logs or bamboo sticks or similar strong supports is advised for areas that experience heavy winds. Staking is also recommended for growing hybrid varieties that produce heavy fruit loads.

Fertilizer Schedule: Fertilizer schedule for Jalapeno plants is as given below:

At the time of land preparation:

  1. 25 tons of FYM or compost /hectare
  2. For better results, apply adequate quantities of neem cake or any available oil cakes along with FYM

Soon after transplanting:

A “starter” fertilizer solution is recommended soon after transplanting to promote root growth. As a rule, this starter should be low in nitrogen and proportionately higher in phosphorus. A chemical starter solution may consist of 350 gram of a 10-52-17 fertilizer per 50 liters of water (or about 70 gram per 10 liters of water). Application rate is 250 ml of stock solution per plant. An organic starter solution may consist of about 800 ml of fish-based fertilizer or similar organic fertilizers in 50 liters of water.

Recommended nutrient requirements: NPK @120:80:50kg /ha

1/3 rd of N and full quantities of P and K are applied as basal dose and 2/3 rd of N is applied in two equal doses 30 and 60 days after transplanting

Precautions to be taken: While fertilizing the plants, care must be taken not to apply excess nitrogen as it may cause blossom-end rot. If traditional irrigation methods are followed, after fertilizer application, main field should be irrigated through furrow system of irrigation. If drip irrigation system is followed, fertigation may be practiced; that is, fertilizers may be dissolved in water and supplied through drip irrigational water.

Disease-Pest Management: Major pests of jalapeno plants are cutworms, aphids, whiteflies, flower thrips, mites, and the pepper weevil. Root-knot nematodes are also found affecting jalapeno pepper plants. Major diseases are bacterial wilt, bacterial spot, powdery mildew, damping-off, another root-rots caused by Phytophthora or Pythium. Virus diseases are also found affecting jalapeno plants.

Control of Pests and Diseases: The best control measure is to keep a healthy ecosystem. Key components of a healthy agro-ecosystem include, proper land preparation prior to planting; improving soil fertility by the use of organic manures and fertilizers, organic mulches, and rotation with cover crops; selection of varieties adapted to the location; proper irrigational management to prevent drought or water logging; use of windbreaks and/or intercrops to minimize damage caused by excessive winds; intercropping with compatible crops and understanding about pest life-cycles.

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