Dry Red Chilli varieties

Guntur and Prakasam districts, Andhra Pradesh · Regional Research Station, LAM, Guntur; farmer selection and maintenance

Long thin pods (5–15 cm × 0.5–1.5 cm) with thick skin, high pungency (35,000–40,000 SHU, 0.226% capsaicin), ASTA colour ~32. Primarily used for capsaicin extraction, oleoresin, and export. Trades in four graded types: Sannam Special (SS), Sannam General (SG), Sannam Fair (SF), and wrinkle types.

Town of Byadagi, Haveri district, Karnataka · Farmer-maintained landrace; no formal breeding institute

Deep red colour (150,000–250,000 CU), low pungency (2,000–5,000 SHU), wrinkled pods (8–15 cm). Primary use: oleoresin extraction (around 50 litres per tonne), paprika, food colouring, and nail polish/lipstick manufacturing. Dabbi type is small and plump; Kaddi is longer. High colour value is its defining attribute.

Assam, Nagaland, Manipur; also grown in Arunachal Pradesh · Farmer-maintained landrace; Defence Research Laboratory (DRL), Assam; ICAR institutes document its traits · 2007 Guinness World Record verification

Superhot pepper verified at 1,041,427 SHU by HPLC, with reported range 855,000–1,041,427 SHU. Named 'ghost' pepper for its subtle fruity undertones that linger before intense heat hits. Held Guinness World Record from 2007 to 2011, and remains iconic in global spice culture. Used for chutneys, pickles, hot sauces, and traditional Northeast cooking.

Kashmir Valley (Jammu and Kashmir) and Himachal Pradesh · Farmer-maintained landrace; no formal institute breeder

Mild to moderate pungency (1,000–2,000 SHU), dark red colour with fine fruity flavour. Prized for adding deep red colour and taste without excessive heat. Slow development in cool climate allows natural pigment accumulation. Used in Kashmiri cooking, spice blends, powders.

Guntur region, Andhra Pradesh · Regional research stations (Guntur); likely farmer selection within Guntur-Prakasam area

Long, slender, highly pungent pods (5–10 cm), 50,000–100,000 SHU with capsaicin content around 0.589%. Vibrant bright red colour; a pungency-grade variety rather than colour-grade. Primarily used for chilli powder production, oleoresin extraction (14–18% yield), and capsaicin-based food products. Preferred feedstock for oleoresin manufacturers globally.

Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi · IARI, Delhi (ICAR)

Medium pungent (30,000–50,000 SHU), dwarf bushy plants (~60 cm), upright fruit bearing, slender curled pods (9–10 cm), light green turning vibrant red. Suited for green chilli market and pod harvesting; 70–80 days to maturity. Tolerant to thrips and mites.

Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi · IARI, Delhi (ICAR)

Perennial chilli (~2–3 years in same field); upright fruit bearing, clusters of 5–8 to 6–14 fruits, plant height 60–80 cm. Yield 8–10 t/ha in year 1. Resistant to bacterial wilt and anthracnose; tolerant to leaf curl virus and cucumber mosaic virus. 'Sadabahar' means 'always flowering'.

ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticultural Research (IIHR), Bengaluru · IIHR, Karnataka (ICAR) · 1990 (recommended), 2003 (notified CSC)

Dark green smooth fruits, turning deep red on maturity with pointed tips, highly pungent. Straight pods suitable for fresh market. Yields 25 t/ha green, 3 t/ha dry. Early-maturing cultivar; suitable for both irrigated and rainfed cultivation.

ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticultural Research (IIHR), Bengaluru · IIHR, Karnataka (ICAR) · 2002 (recommended for release)

Medium-long fruits (6–7 cm × 1 cm), green turning deep red, pendent bearing facilitating harvest, high yield. Tolerant to powdery mildew and viruses. Suited for both irrigated and rainfed cultivation, with smooth fruit maturation to drying.

ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticultural Research (IIHR), Bengaluru · IIHR, Karnataka (ICAR) · 2005 (recommended), 2006 (notified)

High-yielding F1 hybrid; tall plants (~1 m), spreading (90 cm), medium to medium-long fruits (~10 cm × 1 cm), dark green turning deep red. Highly pungent. Fresh yield 30–35 t/ha, dry yield 5 t/ha in 150–160 days. Tolerant to powdery mildew and viruses. Very early maturity suited to market demands.

ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticultural Research (IIHR), Bengaluru · IIHR, Karnataka (ICAR)

CMS-based high-yielding F1 hybrid for fresh market, adapted to Southern and North Eastern States. Tall, spreading plants, medium-long fruits (12 × 1 cm, light green turning deep red), low to medium pungent, smooth initially then wrinkled after drying. Fresh yield 40–45 t/ha, dry yield 5–5.5 t/ha in 180 days. Tolerant to CMV. Farmers prefer for short duration and early yield potential.

Horticulture Research Station (HRS), LAM, Guntur, Andhra Pradesh · HRS LAM, Guntur (ICAR research station) · Early 2000s

Longer fruit length (9.6±1.1 cm), higher dry fruit weight than standard controls, moderately pungent. Yields reported 9.6% higher than control variety with 4.5% reduction in production costs, resulting in 28.6% higher net return. Non-hybrid variety suited for export-grade dry chilli.

Sikkim, Darjeeling, and Kalimpong districts; also grown in Nepal and Bhutan · Farmer-maintained landrace; no formal breeding institute · GI granted September 2020; extended 2021 to Darjeeling and Kalimpong

Small, round to oval fruits (1–2 cm diameter), ripening deep scarlet red, resembling cherries. Intense pungency (100,000–350,000 SHU, comparable to habanero). Remarkably high vitamin C (240 mg/100g, five times orange), Vitamin A 11,000 IU, Vitamin E 0.7 mg. Perennial habit (~2–3 years productive). Used in pickles, chutneys, sauces, often hailed in global spice culture.