THE EFFECTS OF STEM PRUNING ON THE YIELD AND EARLINESS OF GREENHOUSE PEPPERS (CAPSICUM ANNUM L. GROSSUM CV. KANDIL AND 11B-14)

Kandil and 11B-14 Pepper varieties were used to determine the effects of stem pruning on yield and earliness in unheated glasshouse conditions during spring. Stem pruning was started when plants began branching, three different shapes (2,3 and 4 stems) were given to plants and compared to unpruned controls. Early and total yield fruit and fruit weight per plant were determined. It was concluded that removal of main shoots which would have flowered and fruited led to do loss of fruit number per plant and to decrease yield per unit area.