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water Water and Heat Strength

Tim in Tucson

Tim in Tucson

Hey Everyone. Happy New Year!

I have a question that, while not super important, is very interesting to me. How does the amount of watering a chili plant affect the heat levels of the chilies?

Here's why I ask:

A few years ago, a native Tucsonan who grew up in one of the Barrios told me that if you hold back on watering a Jalapeno plant, that it will stress the plant and cause the Jalapenos to become hotter. Meanwhile, while researching Chiltepins, I learned that the Chiltepins grown in peoples' yards tend to be hotter than the wild ones, because they receive more water than the wild Chiltepins.

So, I'm just curious to see what you all have experienced yourselves.
 
It is interesting that you say this, everyone talks about stressing through lack of water and it still seems a bit random. Perhaps I have had bad luck stressing plants but I never consistently get hotter peppers by holding back water. I tend to keep mine dry to begin with though so who knows....Also I have seen information that says capsicum is/was developed as an anti fungal agent evolved by the plants. So it would seem that if that is the case over watering would cause them to produce more capsicum. Once again I have never done that but it seems really random. My gut reaction is there are allot of factors involved in how much capsicum is produced by a given plant and that there are many subtle triggers for its production. I am looking forward to other members comments on this though.
 
Stressing them will cause them to be hotter. A healthy plant,and good genetics are important too. You don't need to stress it before it has pods.
 
I asked the same question of a commercial farmer in hatch n.m. and he said the same thing.. stress them just before harvest .. and they get hotter,,
 
I have grown peppers from the comparable cool/moderate pacific coast to a 'perfect pepper envirorment' to the desert southwest. My 2 cents is to keep the plant as healthy as possible.Not to dry, not to wet. I do wait unti they start to droop before watering. Its not like Trinidad is a dry place. You might find this intresting.
http://www.futurity.org/science-technology/some-chilies-trade-heat-for-hardiness/#more-46602
 
Yeah I have seen many stories on how the capsicum is an anti fungal agent. I would guess this varies greatly on each species depending on how domesticated it is. I think there are allot of variables that go into how much capsicum a pepper produces of which genetics most likely play the biggest part even within a single species. I would love a solid knowledge of it, but I think this will be an area of a bit of part A and a bit of part B will be the prevailing thought on it for quite awhile.
 
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