Maiden said:
Mhmm
Got a bad surprise this morning.
My flower is dying the bad way; even the stalk. This will not produce a pepper for sure :-(
Anyone can help?
The growing conditions are 24/16C day/night 35% relative humidity. I water only when i notice a little wilt, with fresh and room temperature water.
:/Maybe i have to water them before the wilt? Maybe the wilting can be the cause of the drying flower ?
I found an American essay on fruit-set (successful pollination) in C. chinense, which stated that night-time temperatures less than 65°F. (17°C.) will not allow successful pollination. I don't recall which selection from a Google search offered this data -- there were quite a few, each slightly differing on the lowest temperatures allowing fuit-set.
I suspect you could improve chances of fruit-set by preventing the night temperature from falling below 18°, but keeping it cooler than the daytime temperature.
Also, spraying flowers with cold water, even once, could kill any open flowers that are pollinated, and in the process of fruit-set.
A minimum relative humidity needed -- i seem to remember -- is something like 50 or 60%.
On a personal note, last summer, in my maritime climate, we had only one occasion with 3-4 consecutive nights where i am certain the temperature stayed above 15°C. That time period was the only time my bhuts outside set fruit soon enough to ripen. One actually did!
One thing i noticed about your photo: the flowerbuds are all clustered tightly at the top of the plant, much like several varieties of dwarf ornamental C. annuum (ie.: "Medusa"). The very short time from germination to bloom also suggests this... although, frankly, you're speedy germination-to-bloom time is still quite amazing!
Some ornamentals are now being selectively bred to have no capsaicinoids ("Medusa" is one with low pungency -- maximum 1,000 Scoville Heat Units), for purposes of child safety -- but this might be a useful crop to you even if that is the case: the seeds could be unusual gifts for younger relatives, friends' children, anyone you know who might share your botanical interests.
However, the dark anthers look very C. chinense-like.... An experienced forum member migh be able to quickly identify species from viewing the stem and calyx of the flower. My practical experience is slight.
