Afterripening and Harvesting Effects on Tabasco Pepper Seed Germination Performance

Abstract

Field emergence of Tabasco pepper ( Capsicum frutescens L.) often requires 10 to 14 days even under optimum conditions. Methods to increase and accelerate Tabasco seed germination were investigated. Seed were extracted from orange and red fruit harvested at 150, 195, and 240 days from transplanting. The influence of fruit maturity on seed germination performance was significant over all harvest times. Seed extracted from red fruit had a significantly greater germination rate and final germination percentage than seed from orange fruit. Germination performance of seed extracted from red fruit harvested 150 days after transplanting was superior to that of seed harvested from orange fruit and to seed harvested later in the growing season. Results indicate that Tabasco seed extracted from red fruit responds favorably to a period of dry after ripening. A 21-day period at 25°C appears to be optimum for improving germination percentage and rate.