Performance of Twelve Organic Bell Pepper Varieties in the Piedmont of North Carolina

Bell pepper is an important crop for small farmers as well as consumers in the Piedmont of North Carolina. Growing field bell pepper organically in the region is challenged by hot/humid weather, insect pests, and diseases. The objective of this trial was to identify better cultivars for organic bell pepper production in the Piedmont. Twelve bell pepper cultivars of various mature fruit color were evaluated in the 2015 growing season. Plants started with seeds in an organic greenhouse on 7 April, and were transplanted into the field on 21 May. Three plots of each cultivar were planted in a completely randomized design. There were 16 plants in each replication that are planted in two rows. The plants were planted into 36”-wide raised beds covered with black plastic and with one dripline buried under the plastic. Yield and number of fruit varied significantly among varieties. ‘Aura’ had the highest total and marketable yield, 2.29 and 1.71 kg/plant respectively, followed by ‘Sweet Sunrise’ (1.89 and 1.03 kg/plant). Varieties Aura, Sweet Chocolate, Sweet Sunrise, and Melina reached the full fruit color in 80-85 days; King Crimson, Abay, Sprinter, and Madona in 86-90 days; and California Wonder, Citrona and Olympus in 91-95 days. Cultivars California Wonder, Madona and Olympus had large fruit (>150 gram/fruit), while Abay, Citrona, Melina, Sprinter and Sweet sunshine had medium-sized fruit (110-149 grams/fruit). Based on this trial the recommended varieties are ‘Aura’, ‘California Wonder’, ‘Madona’, ‘Melina’, ‘Sweet Chocolate’ and ‘Sweet Sunrise’.