Effect of different growing environments on growth, yield and quality of bell pepper (Capsicum annuum L. var. grossum Sendt.) genotypes under terai region of West Bengal

Bell pepper is commonly produced in protected conditions with constraints. To study alternatives to shaded structures, this experiment was conducted at the Instructional Farm, Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya, during the rabi season of 2022-23 with two growing environments, i.e., arecanut shade (G1) and open field (G2) (as factor A), while five varieties—California Wonder (V1), Pusa Capsicum - 1 (KTPC -1) (V2), VLCP 2016-57 (V3), KTOC -1 (V4), and KTYC - 17 (V5)—were taken as factor B, laid out in a factorial randomized block design with three replications. Following comparable agronomic techniques in G1 and G2, growth, yield, and quality metrics were measured for the five varieties. The results substantiated that shade had a positive influence on bell pepper, as most parameters—such as plant height (26.32 cm, 36.96 cm, and 63.17 cm at 30, 60, and 90 DAT, respectively); internode length (2.72 cm, 4.61 cm, and 6.58 cm at 30, 60, and 90 DAT, respectively); days to first flowering (53.78 DAT); number of flowers per plant (18.28); number of fruits per plant (10.37); fruit length (6.57 cm); fruit width (5.74 cm); pericarp thickness (4.75 mm); average fruit Regarding the varieties, California Wonder (V1) reported better results for a few parameters: days to first flowering (52.30 DAT), number of flowers per plant (19.75), and number of fruits per plant (10.55). However, for most yield-attributing parameters—such as fruit length (7.17 cm), pericarp thickness (4.68 mm), average fruit weight (98.00 g), and fruit yield per plant (0.81 g)—the variety KTOC- 1 (V4) outperformed. The efficient utilization of natural resources under arecanut shade may have favored bell pepper productivity. However, the variety KTOC-1 as an intercrop would be the most appropriate choice for the Terai region of West Bengal.