Abstract

                                Chillies, though broadly classified under condi- ments and spices stand next in importance to the staple food crops in India. The crop in spite of its being an introduced one from South America (Watt. 8.) has established very well in the country and created a special taste for the people at large. The necessity for chillies is all the more felt in the Madras Presidency as it forms one of the daily requirements of both the rich and the poor alike. The value of the crop is enhanced further by the discovery of Quinn, Burtis and Milner (5) of the presence of vitamins A, B and C in the green chillies. Considering the deterioration of the crop to an alarming extent in the Guntur district both in the quantity and quality, work on the improve- ment of this essential crop was taken up at the Agricultural Research Station, Guntur. A definite knowledge as to the anthesis, methods of pollination and the occurrence of cross-fertilisation is necessary for the improvement of any crop. The process of anthesis is a delicate one and it invariably varies with the weather conditions such that the observations recorded at one place might not hold good at another. An accurate information on the above phases facilitates the choice of the methods of improvement to be adopted, the testing of the new varieties as well as the combating of the insect pests and plant diseases by evolving disease-resistant types.

Key words :