Abstract
Florida is a leader in the production of bell pepper (Capsicum annuum) with 15,000-20,000 acres grown annually. Smaller acreage of specialty pepper is also grown in Florida. Increased interest in specialty crops, including several types of peppers, provides new opportunities for Florida growers. Specialty peppers include: jalapeno, cubanelle, long hot cayenne, finger hots, habenero, and southwestern chile types. One other specialty type is the poblano pepper, used fresh for "stuffing pepper" recipes and also as a dried product. A poblano pepper cultivar evaluation study was conducted in Live Oak, Florida during the spring of 2004 to determine their adaptability to production in North Florida. Top early yields were found with 'Ancho Villa' and 'Ventura'. The highest seasonal early yields were found in 'Ancho Villa' at 30,242 lb/acre followed by 'Ventura' at 23,838 lb/acre. The lowest seasonal yields were found with 'Ancho 211' and 'Tiburon' with 17,544 and 18,132 lb/acre, respectively. Fruit dimension measurements taken from each plot showed the fruit width to be greatest in 'Ancho Villa' and 'Tiburon' at 2.4 and 2.3 inches, respectively. Fruit length also varied among entries with fruit of 'Ancho Villa' (4.0 inches) significantly longer than the other cultivars. Fruit color ratings showed 'Ancho Villa' was significantly lighter green in color than each of the other entries.
