Pepper is an annual herbaceous plant. The stem is herbaceous (becoming woody at the base over time) and ranges from 40 to 100 cm in height. The branches are smooth, green, or green with purple stripes. In cross-section, they are round, pentagonal, or hexagonal. Based on the growth and branching patterns, we distinguish between indeterminate and determinate growth of the pepper stem.
Pepper is an annual herbaceous plant. It has a taproot that can grow up to 60 cm deep into the soil, but most of the roots develop within the top 30 cm. The root diameter spreads to about 60 cm.
The stem is herbaceous (becoming woody at the base over time) and ranges from 40 to 100 cm in height. The main and lateral branches are smooth, green, or green with purple stripes. In cross-section, they are round, pentagonal, or hexagonal. The growth and branching patterns distinguish between indeterminate and determinate growth of the pepper stem.
Indeterminate Stem Growth
After 7 – 12 leaves, a flower appears at the top of the main stem, and it stops growing. On the same node, 2 – 4 branches (rarely more) develop, also bearing a flower at the top and further branching into one or two branches. Simultaneously, lower nodes also develop branches that end in a flower after a few leaves and branch in the same way. These are intended for cultivation in protected environments for a longer fruit-bearing period.
Determinate Stem Growth
This growth also ends with a flower after 6 – 8 leaves. From the same node, several short branches (8 – 12) develop, ending with a flower, thus completing the stem’s growth. These are used for open-field cultivation where the fruit-bearing period is shorter, but yield increases with denser planting (more plants per unit area).
The leaf is simple, entire, with longer or shorter petioles, arranged spirally. The leaf blade is oval, lanceolate, or elliptical with an entire margin, and green in color.
The flower is found on a short pedicel, mostly solitary. It has 5 – 7 petals that are white, yellowish, or greenish, with the petals fused at the base.
The fruit is a hollow berry of varying shape, size, and color. The berry consists of the pericarp (flesh) and the placenta with seeds.
The seed is kidney-shaped, 3 – 6 mm in diameter and 0.5 – 1 mm thick, flat, smooth, and pale yellow. One fruit can contain 70 – 600 seeds, with about 160 seeds per gram.
