Serpentine Method of pepper multiplication
The serpentine method of pepper propagation is a rapid method of propagation where a known variety of pepper planted. As the plant grows and produces few nodes, small polythene bags (20 x 10 cm) filled with the potting mixture is kept under each node. The node may be kept gently pressed into the mixture assuring contact with the potting mixture with a midrib of a coconut leaflet to enable rooting at that junction. Roots start growing from the nodes, and the cuttings keep on growing further. The process of keeping potting mixture filled polythene bags at every node to induce rooting at each node is repeated. In three months the first 10 to 12 nodes (from the mother plants) would have rooted profusely. Each node with the polythene bag is cut just below the rooted node, and the cut end is also buried into the mixture to induce more roots. Polythene bags filled with solarized potting mixture or soil, granite powder, and farmyard manure. A ratio of 2:1:1 is recommended for producing disease-free rooted cuttings. The rooted nodes will produce new sprouts in a week time and will be ready for field planting in two to three months. Daily irrigation can be given with a rose can. On average, 60 cuttings can be taken per mother plant in a year by this method.
