Identifying suitable chilli varieties for sustainable livelihoods

Introduction

The chilli (Capsicum annuum L.), a member of the Solanaceae family, is one of the most prominent commercial spices and vegetables grown in India. The fruit, which is valued for its flavour, colour, and pungency, is grown in large quantities for consumption in both green and dried forms (Bhalabhai et al., 2021) [5] . The presence of capsaicin and oleoresin chemicals in chillies makes them useful not just in cooking but also in the food, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical industries (Maharjan et al., 2024) [11] . In India, chilli is of great socioeconomic significance, supporting millions of small and marginal farmers who work in cultivation, processing, and trade. India is acknowledged as the world's greatest producer, consumer, and exporter of chillies (Devi et al., 2022) [6] . India, often referred to as the "Country of Spices," is the world's leading producer of spices and also world's largest producer and consumer. It accounts for 36% of global chilli production, with China coming in second at 24% (Babu et al., 2018) [4] . The most important chili-growing states in India are Andhra Pradesh (49%), Karnataka (15%), Maharashtra (6%), and Tamil Nadu (3%), which together account for more than 75% of the country's total area under cultivation (Jagtap et al., 2012) [8] . In India green and dried chillies occupies an area of about 309 thousand ha and 752 thousand ha with production of 3592 thousand MT and 2149 thousand MT, respectively (Anonymous, 2022) [1] . Chilli cultivation is an important component of the spice crop industry in Uttar Pradesh (U.P.). The crop is mostly grown in the eastern and central districts, where ideal soil and climate conditions exist, including Varanasi, Mirzapur, Jaunpur, Azamgarh, and Ghazipur. Around 0.13 lakh hectares of chilli are grown in Uttar Pradesh, according to state horticulture figures from 2024 (Gajbhiye and Mandal, 2000) [7] . The state produces 0.16 lakh tons of chilli annually, with an average productivity of 1.25 tonnes per hectare, which is comparable to the national average. Both green and dried chilli growing are feasible in the area because of the abundance of workers, guaranteed irrigation, and fertile alluvial soils (Madhavi et al., 2023) [10] . Chilli's nutritional and economic worth is astounding. Along with antioxidants that have healthpromoting qualities, it is abundant in vitamins A, C, and E (Azlan et al., 2022) [3] . The main ingredient in chilies, capsaicin, has demonstrated pharmacological efficacy for controlling metabolism, reducing pain, and fighting bacteria. The crop makes a substantial contribution to India's export revenue as well (Maharjan et al., 2024) [11] . Bangladesh, Thailand, Sri Lanka, China, and the US are among the nations to which India exports value-added goods including oleoresin, dried chillies, and chilli powder (Mani and Kabiraj, 2019) [12] .

Materials and Methods

The current study was carried out in the Beniram Katara block of Uttar Pradesh, India, as an On-Farm Trial (OFT) during the cropping season 2022-23. Through statistical analysis, the experiment sought to determine the relative productivity and adaptability of two chilli types, Eagle and Heena, under farmers' field circumstances. Together with ten farmers from the chosen block, the study was conducted. With scorching summers and moderate rains, the region has a sub-tropical climate. The alluvial soil is rich and ideal for growing chillies. Progressive growers with consistent field conditions were chosen to reduce variability brought on by management and environmental factors. An easy comparative design was used to set up a varietal experiment in actual field conditions. Five of the 10 participating farmers grew the "Eagle" variety, and the other five grew the "Heena" variety. All common agronomic procedures for site preparation, planting, irrigation, and pest control were consistently applied across treatments, and each farmer served as a replication. To maintain comparability, the plot size per farmer was maintained at a same level. The average fruit weight (g) and total fruit yield (kg/plot), two important agronomic and yieldrelated metrics, were noted. Farmers followed the suggested set of practices and kept their cultural operations consistent. Based on the average yield from each farmer, the mean production per variety was calculated. The t-test (Student's t-test) was used to compare the mean performance of the two types (Eagle and Heena) based on the data that was gathered. The test assisted in determining the consistency of performance throughout the farmers' fields as well as the superiority of the variety under field conditions.

Results and Discussion

Yield

The yield performance of two chilli varieties, Eagle and Heena, under on-farm conditions is presented in Table 1. Heena's average yield (1,355 kg) was slightly higher than Eagle's (1,290 kg) per 0.10ha. At the 5% level of significance, the computed tvalue (1.099) was less than the tabulated t-value (2.306), indicating that the mean yield difference was statistically nonsignificant. This suggests that both types fared similarly in comparable field and management settings. Therefore, depending on farmers' preferences and local adaptability, either of the two kinds can be suggested for production. Similar results were also observed by Venkanna and Rao, 2020 [14] .

Cost of cultivation

The comparative analysis of the cost of cultivation for two chilli varieties, Eagle and Heena, is presented in Table 2. Eagle had an average cultivation cost of ₹19,689.80, which was somewhat more than that of Heena (₹19,128.20) of 0.25 acre. The computed t-value (1.351) was less than the tabulated t-value (2.306) at the 5% level of significance, indicating that the difference costs under field circumstances were almost equal, suggesting similar production economics. As a result, growers can select either variety without their cultivation costs changing significantly. Similar results were also reported by Arunkumar et al., 2023 [2] and Kumar et al., 2022 [9] .

Gross Income

The gross return obtained from two chilli varieties, Eagle and Heena, is presented in Table 3. Compared to Heena (₹51,717.20), the variety Eagle had a little better average gross return (₹55,090.80) from 0.10 ha. However, because the computed t-value (1.329) was less than the tabulated t-value (2.306) at the 5% level of significance, the difference between the two means was determined to be statistically non-significant. This suggests that under on-farm settings, the economic returns of the two types were about equal. Therefore, according on their yield stability and market desire, producers can choose between Eagle and Heena. Similar results were also observed by Mehta and Kumari, 2018 [13] .

Rate of chilli

The data on the market rate per quintal of two chilli varieties, Eagle and Heena, are presented in Table 5. For Eagle, the average market price was ₹4,270 per quintal, whilst for Heena, it was ₹3,941 per quintal. According to statistical analysis, there was a substantial difference in the market prices of the two types, with the computed t-value (3.419) being larger than the tabulated t-value (2.306) at the 5% level of significance.

According to the data, Eagle sold for a far greater price than Heena in the market, most likely as a result of traders and consumers favoring fruit with superior qualities like colour, size, or pungency. Given the farmers' field conditions in the Beniram Katara block of Uttar Pradesh, this notable difference in rate per quintal suggests that Eagle has a stronger economic advantage and market preference, which raises gross and net returns.

Net Return

Heena produced an average of ₹32,589.60, while Eagle produced a greater mean net return of ₹35,401.00 from 0.10ha. At the 5% threshold of significance, the estimated t-value (1.137) was less than the tabulated t-value (2.306), indicating that the difference between the two kinds was statistically nonsignificant even though Eagle displayed a numerical advantage of almost ₹2,811.40/ from 0.10 ha. This implies that both types fared about equally well in terms of profitability in the field settings used by farmers. The findings suggest that Eagle's somewhat higher yield potential may be the cause of its higher net return; nonetheless, the variance falls within the bounds of natural field differences. Therefore, in the Beniram Katara block of Uttar Pradesh, both Eagle and Heena can be regarded as economically feasible choices for chilli growing. Similar results were also observed by Mehta and Kumari, 2018 [13] and Arunkumar et al., 2023 [2] .

Conclusion

Eagle and Heena, two chilli varieties, both farmed well in the Beniram Katara block of Uttar Pradesh, according to the results of an on-farm varietal testing. Even though Eagle had slightly higher gross (₹55,090.80) and net returns (₹35,401.00) from 0.10ha land and Heena had slightly higher yield (1,355 kg), the differences in yield, cultivation cost, and returns were not statistically significant at the 5% level. This suggests that the productivity and profitability of both types are similar. The market prices per quintal, however, showed a notable difference, with Eagle fetching a significantly higher price (₹4,270/q) than Heena (₹3,941/q), indicating superior quality traits and market acceptance. All things considered, Eagle was a marginally better variety in terms of price advantage and economic return, but Heena did well in terms of yield stability. Therefore, both varieties can be recommended for cultivation, with Eagle offering better market prospects in the study region.

References

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