5 Causes of Leaf, Flower, and Fruit Abscission on Chili Trees

Chili is one of the most farmed horticultures in Indonesia. It might seem simple but in reality, it’s pretty tough and complicated. From climate and weather factor alone, chili farming is not easy because extreme conditions affect them greatly, be it physically, anatomically, or physiologically.

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Fertile Chili Tree with Fruitful Harvest.

Farming chili is quite difficult especially for beginners. In the field, a lot of things can go wrong in the care of chili crops, for example, damaged organs like roots and stems due to microbe activities and diseases caused by fungus in rainy season. Another example would be the abscission of chili’s young organs like leaves, flowers, and fruits.

Below are five common reasons for leaf, flower, and fruit abscission on chili trees:

• Calcium and potassium deficiency. Other than those two, zinc, magnesium, and iron are also important in the formation of chlorophyll in leaves thus making them stronger and minimizing the possibility of abscission. Giving your chili crops organic or non-organic fertilizers might be the solution for this problem. The most recommended one is Phonska.
• Excess abscisic acid hormone. This internal factor has to be controlled carefully through proper dosage and intensity of watering and fertilization.
• High precipitation. This external factor can cause too much water accumulation in roots and soil. It’s important for farmers to control their land’s drainage system and irrigation pipes between seedbeds properly as to not give the crops too much water more than needed.
• Nutrients deficiency. Make sure your crops have gotten enough macro and micro nutrients like calcium, potassium, magnesium, molybdenum, zinc, and iron. Those nutrients are also important to prevent necrosis and chlorosis that would then make leaves turn brown-ish yellow, then fall off.
• Pests and pathogenic diseases attack. Pest like armyworms and disease like anthracnose can cause holey leaves. Untreated, they will spread and infect other organs that will cause abscission on leaves, flowers, and fruits that will then result in bad or even failure in harvest.