| [Image: Revolution Bell Pepper ] |
| [Image: Aristole Bell Peper ] |
| [Image: Excursion Bell Pepper] |
Twenty-three bell pepper varieties were grown at the Citrus Research Station in Port Sulphur, LA, commercial fields of Jack Liuzza and Sons in Independence, LA and at David Ritcher in Sunset, LA. The cooperation of the growers in this test is greatly appreciated.
The plants were grown with black plastic mulch at the Citrus Station and Liuzza’s and silver reflective mulch at Richter’s. The plants were grown as double drills at Liuzza and single drill at Richter’s and the Citrus Station. The pepper plants were drip irrigated, staked and tied at all three locations. As the bell peppers mature, the fruit was harvested and evaluated for maturity, yield, fruit size, fruit color, fruit shape, plant size, foliage, plant structure and fruit appearance. Camelot was used as the check variety when making comparisons. The plots at Liuzza were evaluated twice, but only evaluated once at David Richter and Citrus Station.
Louisiana growers are looking for bell peppers varieties that produce high yields of smooth shape, extra large, dark green, 3 and 4 lobe fruit on a plant this is open in structure. The open type plant structure allows for an easy harvest and few misshapen fruit.
The top variety in the demonstration plots was Revolution. It had high yields of XX large and X large,3 and 4 lobe blocky, shape fruit with good green color. Its large size plant had an open style structure. It is tolerant to Phytophthora.
The varieties Aristotle, Lafayette and Paladin were tied for second.
Aristotle is a good yielding, medium maturity variety with extra large and large 3 and 4 lobe blocky green fruit with good appearance. The fruit was borne on a medium large plant with a medium open structure.
Lafayette had good yields of extra large and XX-large, blocky 3 and 4 lobe fruit. The fruit was somewhat light in color. It made a large plant with a medium open structure.
Paladin had high yields of extra-large and large, 3 and 4 lobe blocky green fruit. The plant was medium large in size and open in structure. It is resistant to Phytophthora.
Four TSWV resistant bell pepper varieties were included in the test. None of the TSWV resistant varieties rated as high in yields as the top varieties in the test. The top TSWV resistant bell varieties in the test were Excursion II, Plato and Stilleto.
Excursion II (TSWV Resistant) is a medium maturity variety with only fair yields of extra-large and large 3 and 4 lobed green fruit. The extra-large and large plant had a medium open structure.
Plato is a medium maturity TSWV resistant variety with fair yields of extra large and large 3 and 4 lobed fruit with good green color. The fruit were borne on a large size plant with an open style structure.
Stilleto (TSWV Resistant) is a medium maturity variety with fair yields of large and extra-large 3 and 4 lobe blocky fruit. The large plant bore fruit in an open structure.
These varieties are recommended for trial my Louisiana growers. Growers are caution to try small planting of these varieties to determine the performance of a new variety on there own farms and markets before making large plantings.
Click here for a full table of results.