Hot and Aromatic Round Pepper for Culinary and Processing Use

Intense Heat, Rich Aroma, Market Ready!

This group of round pepper varieties, developed by the World Vegetable Center, includes several types with strong heat, rich aroma, and bright red color. They are adapted to tropical climates and produce uniform fruits that are easy to dry, grind, or process into chili oil and paste. These peppers are ideal for fresh markets, spice production, and packaged products. Their stable traits make them a good choice for seed companies, traders, and food processors looking for reliable supply and strong consumer demand. A table with full details on each variety is available in the download section.

This technology is pre-validated.

7•8

Scaling readiness: idea maturity 7/9; level of use 8/9

Cost: $$$ 2336 USD

All production cost for 1 hectare

ROI: $$$ up to 434 %

over 10 harvests

6.8–18.01 t/ha

over 10 harvest

70–85 days

Days to Maturity after Transplanting

Officially released in Benin in 2025

IP

Open source / open access

Problem

Inconsistent fruit quality affects processors and aggregators who struggle to source peppers with uniform size, shape, and colour suitable for packaging or sauce production.
High post-harvest losses impact traders and buyers due to perishability and uneven maturity of local varieties, leading to reduced volumes and higher sorting costs.
Excessive pesticide use raises concerns for food processors and retailers aiming to meet safety standards and respond to consumer demand for cleaner produce.
Unreliable supply chains make it difficult for seed companies and contract buyers to guarantee year-round sourcing from smallholders.
Lack of access to improved seed limits agro-dealers and commercial farms from offering or planting high-performing, disease-resistant pepper lines adapted to local demand.

Solution

Uniform Quality: Uniform shape, attractive color, strong heat, and rich aroma help sellers meet market demands for fresh and processed peppers.
Disease Resistance: Resistance to root rot and common viruses reduces crop losses, ensuring reliable supply for traders and processors.
Reliable Yield: Early maturity and consistent yield support production planning, contract farming, and steady market supply.
Climate Adaptation: Adapted to hot climates and common diseases, lowering chemical spray needs and improving profitability.

Key points to design your business plan

These round pepper varieties from WorldVeg are well-suited for regions facing high disease pressure and climate stress. With strong resistance to Phytophthora root rot, mosaic viruses, anthracnose, and notable heat and aroma, they are ideal for improving productivity, reducing losses, and ensuring a steady supply of quality peppers for fresh and processed markets.

For Seed Multipliers

Steps to ensure quality seed production:

Start with clean, disease-free foundation seed from WorldVeg or official sources.
Maintain strict field isolation and remove off-types during flowering and fruiting to prevent mixing with local varieties.
Sort carefully after harvest—these varieties produce uniform round fruits with strong market appeal, and purity matters to processors and farmers.
Follow national standards for seed certification, labeling, and packaging.

For Resellers (Agro-dealers, Wholesalers)

To include round pepper varieties in your seed business:

Secure seed early from certified producers to meet seasonal demand.
Ensure packaging clearly shows the variety name, storage guidelines, and expiry dates.
Stock both small and medium packs to serve smallholders and larger farms.
Promote the variety’s resistance to major diseases and its good performance in hot, dry areas.
Train store staff to explain the benefits over recycled or local seed—especially in terms of yield and reduced chemical use.
Time your seed availability with local planting seasons and link with cooperatives or development programs in high-risk zones.

For Users (Commercial Farmers, Aggregators, Processors)

To integrate these varieties into your operations:

Try the variety in your production areas—especially where disease or drought is a concern.
Order seed early through reliable suppliers to ensure availability for planting.
Factor in its stable yields and low pesticide needs when planning costs and returns.
Use the variety in contract farming or aggregation models to ensure uniform quality for processing or bulk sales.
Invest in basic post-harvest tools like drying mats or storage sacks to maintain quality.
Promote finished products based on the variety’s consistent size, colour, and pungency.
Explore advance agreements with processors or buyers who value reliable supply and quality.

Adults 18 and over: Positive high

Increased productivity and reduced losses lead to more reliable earnings and better livelihoods, directly enhancing the economic situation for adult family members.

The poor: Positive high

By increasing yield reliability and reducing input costs, even small-scale and resource-poor farmers can improve their standard of living and resilience.

Under 18: Positive medium

Stable, increased pepper production enhances family well-being, ensuring that children have access to better quality food and potentially more resources for education and health.

Women: Positive high

Higher yields and reduced reliance on chemical inputs can reduce labor burdens, increase profits, and improve women’s standing in the household and community.

Climate adaptability: Highly adaptable

Enhanced resilience to temperature shifts and rainfall variability helps farmers maintain productivity as climate conditions change.

Farmer climate change readiness: Significant improvement

Access to hardy, disease-resistant varieties helps farmers adapt to climate fluctuations and reduces the risk of crop failure, improving long-term livelihood security.

Biodiversity: No impact on biodiversity

The technology itself is not designed to increase plant species diversity, but lowering chemical inputs may indirectly support local ecosystems and natural predators.

Carbon footprint: A bit less carbon released

Less reliance on chemical production and transportation, and improved yields per area, may decrease overall greenhouse gas emissions per unit of produce.

Environmental health: Moderately improves environmental health

By using disease-resistant varieties, farmers can maintain productivity with fewer harmful inputs, improving overall ecosystem health.

Soil quality: Does not affect soil health and fertility

Healthier soil biodiversity and reduced chemical load help maintain long-term soil fertility and productivity.

Water use: Same amount of water used

While not a water-saving technology, healthier plants with stable yields may indirectly encourage more efficient irrigation practices, improving overall water management.

Countries with a green colour: Tested & adopted
Countries with a bright green colour: Adopted
Countries with a yellow colour: Tested
Countries with a blue colour: Testing ongoing

Countries where the technology is being tested or has been tested and adopted
Country	Testing ongoing	Tested	Adopted
Benin	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Burkina Faso	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Djibouti	–No ongoing testing	Tested	–Not adopted
Ethiopia	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Gambia	Testing ongoing	–Not tested	–Not adopted
Ghana	–No ongoing testing	Tested	–Not adopted
Kenya	–No ongoing testing	Tested	–Not adopted
Mali	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Nigeria	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Rwanda	–No ongoing testing	Tested	–Not adopted
Tanzania	–No ongoing testing	Tested	–Not adopted
Togo	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted

This technology can be used in the colored agro-ecological zones. Any zones shown in white are not suitable for this technology.

Agro-ecological zones where this technology can be used
AEZ	Subtropic - warm	Subtropic - cool	Tropic - warm	Tropic - cool
Arid	–	–	–	–
Semiarid		–
Subhumid
Humid		–

Source: HarvestChoice/IFPRI 2009

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals that are applicable to this technology.

Goal 2: zero hunger

By increasing cayenne pepper yields and reducing losses due to diseases and pests, these improved varieties contribute directly to food availability and affordability. This helps ensure a more stable food supply, particularly in regions where peppers are a key part of local diets.

Goal 5: gender equality

Women often play central roles in agriculture—growing, harvesting, processing, or marketing crops. Improved pepper varieties and related practices can enhance their productivity, income, and decision-making power. As a result, women gain greater economic independence and recognition, contributing to gender equality.

Goal 13: climate action

Disease-resistant, resilient pepper varieties reduce reliance on chemical inputs, lower environmental risks, and help maintain stable yields even under challenging climate conditions. By improving the ability of farming systems to cope with climate variability, these varieties support climate adaptation efforts and more sustainable use of resources.

This line can be used following the standard cultural practices in different environments. Please refer to the downloads below for more information.