Vegetative growth of pepper was closely linked to the
amount of water applied. Continuous stress throughout the
season (T2) diminished leaf area, fresh and dry weight, as
expected, but it did not hasten ripening, necessary for
mechanical harvest. If water stress is applied at the end of
the period, only water content is affected. In that case, ripening
was not concentrated either.Water stress delayed fruit ripening,
whether it was a mild stress sustained throughout the season
(T2) or a more severe stress applied only prior to harvest (T1).
Concerning flowering and abscission, there were no differential
effects of water deficits on both processes, probably because the
high maximum temperatures that occurred in good part of the
season masked other deleterious effects. Fresh and dry weight
of fruits were also correlated with total applied water and,
contrary to the recommended practice, the maintenance of
irrigation up to the end of the season increased the number of
ripened fruits and hence, commercial yield of pepper for
paprika production.