N E W S L E T T E R http://www.chilepepperinstitute.org e-mail : hotchile@nmsu.edu I

Chiles in India By Sanjeet Kurnar and Mathura Rai

IE Every Issue I Since the introduction of chile peppers Recipe 4 to Europe by Columbus, they have spread I Capsicum News

Burning Questions

throughout A£iica and Asia. Because chile 6

pepper plants readily cross-pollinate, a

7 tremendous amount of variability has been Local growers with chiles at the market generated. India has the world's largest

diversity in cultures and in different

regions of the country, each culture has

selected for chile peppers that have a

specific pungency, size, shape, and color.

Because of th~s considerable natural

pepper has made it an important crop in

terms of commercial cultivation as well as the

home garden.

Types of Chile Pepper Grown,

I I variability in chile peppers, India is recog-

nized as a secondary center of diversity for

Capsicum. Gradually, chile h i t s (in Hindi , . . . language called "Mirch") became an

indispensable ingredient in Indian foods. Greenhits of a popular Indian landrace That is why almost every kitchen garden in

I the country is characterized by the growing Inside This Issue I of at least one chile pepper plant. Besides

consumption as an ingredient in food, chile Profile -Renee's Garden 3

pepper h i t s are used for spiritual pur-

Chile Peppers Good poses. For example, in northern Indian for Stopping Cravings 4 states, several green h t s of chile pepper

and a fruit of lime are strung on a thread

and hung at the main entrance of houses and shops with the belief that it helps to

keep evil away. The versatile uses of chile

In India, both the green and reti h i t s of

different varieties are used. The red ripe

fruits are processed into powder, oleoresin

extraction, or pickling. The green h t s are

grown for k s h consumption. Different

landraces, improved varieties, and hybrids

are cultivated for specific market niches.

However, occasionally the same cultivar may

be grown for both green fruits and red-ripe

dry f i t s .

Powder is the most common form of chile

pepper consumed in India. Chile peppers are

dried for red fruit production and are the

most widely and commercially cultivated

throughout the country. The Indian state of

Andhra Pardeshranks first in terms of total

PLEASE SEE INDIA, P. 2

India

dry h i t pro- h i t production. Most of the landraces, varieties, and

duction. The hybrids commercially cultivated for green h i t s are C.

other major annuum. However, in kitchen gardens, C. fmtescens

chile pepper and C. chinense, are also grown occasionally for green

growing states h i t s . Many times, growers tend to harvest green as well

are Karnataka, as dry red fruits from the same crop depending on the

Orissa, market price of green and dry red fruits. The most

Maharashtra, preferred green h i t size in the Indian market is 6-7 x 2-3

West Bengal, cm (2-2.5 x 314 - 1 .O inches) with medium to high pun- Cold storage units Karnataka, gency. In the recent past, an improved variety, Kashi

Rajasthan, Uttar Anmol (KA-2) has become popular for green fruit pro-

Pradesh, Bihar and Tamil Nadu. Most of the cultivars duction in northern India. In Rajasthan, large fruited

grown for the dry h i t production are improved varieties varieties with mild pungency (similar to the New Mexican

and hybrids of C. annuum having cayenne type h t s . type) are also cultivated for green h i t s . In the city, larger

However, in northeastern states, especially in Assam, andmilder h i t s are in high demand. Similarly, cultivation

"Naga Jolokia'' and "Bhut Jololua" are the most popular of sweet pepper (bell pepper) has also spread throughout

landraces grown for dry fruits. Chile peppers are called the country due to its lvgh demand and price in the mar-

"Jolokia" in the Assarni language. kets. The most popular bell pepper varieties include

Recently, the defense laboratory located at TejpG in . California Wonder, Bharat, and Indira.

Assam has claimed that the fruit of 'Naga Jolokia' is the Red Ripe Fruits for Oleoresin Extraction

world's hottest chlle pepper. The h i t characteristics of

these landraces are most similar to C. chineizse. In the In certain areas of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, locally

state of Kerala, local landraces of C. chinense are adopted landraces with non-pungent and dark red h i t s

commercially cultivated for the dry fruits. Higher yield and are cultivated to meet the demand of oleoresin extraction

having greater color retention in the h i t s during storage industries located in Kerala. It is estimated that the annual

are desirable traits. In order to maintain the h i t ' s red demands of oleoresin extraction industries are 20,000 tons

color, they are usually put in cold storage. A series of cold of dry red fits. The oleoresins are exported mainly to

storage units can be found in the Guntur area of Andhra Europe (for meat industries) and Japan (for poultry feed

Pradesh, which is not only the biggest market of dry chile industries). In Kamataka, the cultivars, ~ a i d a ~ i ~ a d d i ,

pepper h i t s , but is one of the bigger markets in the Baydagi Dabbi and others similar to them are the favor-

world. The most preferred dry h i t s are 8-10 x 2.5-3.0 ites. In Andhra Pradesh, the 'Tomato Chilli' is popular

cm (3-4 x 1 - 1.5 inches) in size with high pungency. The among the growers. Fruits of all these landraces have thin

most popular improved varieties are G-4, G-5, LCA- pericarp (walls), no pungency, and very high oleoresin

334, CH-1 (F,), CH-3 (F,) and several F, hybrids content. Presently, well-adapted improved varieties

marketed by seed companies. suitable for oleoresin extraction are not available in India.

Therefore, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research in Green Fruits for Fresh Consumption New Delhi has initiated a network project on paprika

In northern Indian states like Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, hybrid development at four centers including The Indian

and Bihar, a large area of chile pepper is grown for green Institute of Vegetable Research at Varanasi. The

SEE INDIA, P. 3.

Rene uen PAGE 3

Company Profile Renee's Garden offers seed

varieties that are very special for home gardeners, based on great flavor, easy culture, and exceptional garden performance?Their seed lines are a selection of new, exciting,

I I and unusual choices of time-tested heirlooms, the best international hybrids and fine open-pollinated varieties. Renee's Garden harvests

and uses the vegetables and herbs in their test kitchens to choose the most delicious for the home gardener. Their seed packets offer watercolor portraits, with

authentic written descriptions, complete growing instruc- tions, a quick-view planting chart, tips, harvesting informa-

tion and cooking ideas. Renee's Garden seeds are selected from growers they

know and trust in the USA, Holland, Italy, England, France, Germany, Hungary, Canada, Mexico, Chile, Thailand, Japan, China and New Zealand. Renee's Garden is a very strong supporter of sustainable famning practices. At the present time, continuous supplies of reliably

certified, organically grown seeds are not available for most of the varieties they sell. Renee's uses a wide range of small organic seed growers and farmer cooperatives whenever they can provide good quality seed. Renee's grows all of their selections in their Felton, California trial garden and in a variety of locations around the country before offering them to customers. http://www.reneesgarden.com/

INDIA, FROM P. 2. landraces producing mild pungent fruits that are dark

red are also cultivated in Jammu and Jkashrnir for

powder (popularly known in India as "Dangi Mirch"). .-.

Hybrid Seed Production: A Success Story In India, the area under production with hybrid chile

peppers is increasing rapidly. Presently, about 15% of the

total area under chile pepper cultivation is hybrid

Red Ripe Fruits for Pickling varieties. In Punjab state,

farmers growing chile pepper In eastern and central Uttar

seed have adopted hybrid seed Pradesh, landraces are grown

production technology using a for the production of mild h i t s

nuclear male sterile line (MS- having a size similar to the

12). The MS- 12 possesses the jalapefio, but with a thin

ms-10 gene (originally called pericarp and a pointed end.

me-509, induced by E. R. The red ripe fruits are har-

Pochard in France during the vested and after stuffing with Growers selling their peppers in the markets

early 1970's): During spices are exclusively used for

the1 98OYs, the ms-10 gene was introduced in India by the preparation of pickles.

J.S. Hundal, retired chile pepper breeder at Punjab

Red Ripe Fruits for Flavor University, Ludhiana. It was introduced into a multiple

resistant line, 'Punjab Lal', and named MS-12. Grow- In Nagaland and Manipur, a local landrace called "Delo

ers were trained on how to use the MS-12 to produce Khursiano," is grown for red ripe fruits that has aunique

hybrid seed. Currently, 200 growers are producing the aroma preferred by the consumers. The fruits have a

CH- 1 and CH-3 hybrids using MS- 12 as the common cherry-llke aroma, and are priced four to five times higher

female parent. This provides growers with F, hybrid than the ordinary chile pepper h i t s in the local markets.

seed at a cheaper price as compared to the commercial

F, seeds marketed by the seed companies.

(Dr. Sanjeet Kumar is Pepper Breeder and Dr. Mathura. Rai is Director of Indian Institute of Vegetable Research, Varanasi, India)

PAGE Recipe

Recipe- StufSed Chile Pepper Pickles - (North Indian Style)

Ingredients Preparation of stuffing ingredients: 2 lbs red, dried, medium pungent chile pepper fruits Pan roast the coriander, fenugreek, nigella and fennel I (jalapeiio type) seeds removed but not discarded, until golden brown and let cool. Grind roasted spices Poblano, Wax or New Mexican with a mortar and pestil or a coffee chile peppers can also be used. grinder. Mix the ground ingredients Stuffing ingredients with turmeric powder, black mustard,

I I lpint yellow mustard oil salt, amchur, chile pepper seeds and I 8 oz coriander garlic paste. 3 oz fenugreek

4

Each pod is filled by stuffing ingredi- 3 oz fennel ents with a spoon and toothpicks are 1.5 oz nigella used to secure each pod.

1

3 oz black mustard a

Place pods in a glass dish and pour 1 1

8 oz mchur (small pieces of dried pint of yellow mustard oil over chile I immature mango hits) 1 .5 oz peppers.

. I turmeric powder Let chile peppers marinate in the refrigerator for at least I 3 oz garlic paste 2 hours or overnight. Salt to taste Serve with your favorite Indian dishes.

Chile Peppers Good for Stopping the Cravings Whether they're sweet and creamy or salty crunchy, ( Outwit your tummy: Any food eaten on an empty

you don't have to avoid your favorite foods. "Have a . stomach heightens your sense ofpleasure, Gullo says. strategy to control cravings so they don't control you," But eating the food you crave twice a day for 2 weeks says Stephen Gullo, PhD, author of The Thin Com- on a full stomach may decrease your desire for it, finds a mandments (published by Rodale, which also publishes study at University College, London. Prevention Magazine). Resist temptation with these Prevention, Feb 2005 tactics: ( Start smart : The body takes longer to break down -

protein than carbs, so eat a high-protein breakfast like a veggie omelet or low-fat yogurt topped with high-fiber cereal. You'll stay fbller longer, and be able to resist that coffee-break doughnut.

IS YOUR LABEL RED? HURRY

( Spice it up : Sharp-tasting foods such as pickles, IT'S TIME TO RENEW YOUR

chile peppers, and tomato juice can overwhelm taste MEMBERSHIP!! buds, Gullo believes, cutting off appetite and cravings. This works especially well in conquering a sweet tooth, he says.

The Chile Pepper Institute Newsletter Paul W. Bosland, D~rcctor John Whlte - NMSU CES Paul Bosland & Danise Coon - Production Danise Coon, Program Coordinator Rich Phillips - NMSU Chile Task Forcc

Chris Coon - EditorIWriter Ed Curry - Curry Seed Company The Chile Pepper Institute The Chile Pepper Institute Stcphan~c Walkcr - NMSU CES Box 30003, MSC 34 Board of Directors

Las Cmces, NM 88003 Emma Jean Cemantes - Ccrvantes Entcrprlse New Mexico State University

(505)646-3028 Louis Biad - Biad Chlle Ex. Officio D~rectors (505)646-604 1 fax Dave DeWitt - Fiery Foods Mag. Dr. Jerry Schickedanz - Dean CAHE

http://www.chilepepper~nst~tute.org Wendy Hamilton, NMSU CES Dr. LeRoy Daugherty - Ag. Exp. Stat

ver, - PAGE 5-

Food Technology At 1 New Mexico State University responded to a grass

roots stakeholder initiative by developing and imple- menting a Food Technology program. Since 1993, the Extension Home Economics Food Technology program has assisted food processors in the state by providing information on food regulations and with services such as process reviews of acidified foods and analysis for nutritional labeling. Food processors receive direct technical assistance for product development, labeling and marketing of new food products. Growers can receive assistance under the GAPs (Good Agricultural Practices) Program to aid them in reducing microbial risks on the farm.

Key Background Information

Between 1970 - 1997, the U.S. per capita consumption of fruits and vegetables increased 24% (577 lbs to 7 18 lbs per year.) As produce consumption has increased, scientists at the Centers for Disease Control and Pre- vention (CDC) in Atlanta, Georgia, noticed an important trend. From 1973 through 1998, there was asignificant increase in the number of food borne disease outbreaks associated with fresh produce.

A summary of the food borne outbreaks from 1987 to present shows:

o The number of outbreaks associated with fresh produce steadily increased. o The number of people affected more than doubled.

Jniversity Highlighted o Avariety of fruits and vegetables were involved. o Three-quarters (75.3%) of the outbreaks were related to domestically grown produce. o Most of the outbreaks were caused by bacteria, especially Salmonella species and E. coli 0 157:H7.

In response to consumer concerns, many retailers have recently announced programs requiring growers to have independent third-party inspections of farms to certifl that h i t s and vegetables are being grown, harvested, and packaged using good agricultural man- agement practices. These programs are developing rapidly and many growing and paclung operations are already being inspected by companies, organizations, - and agencies approved by retailers. -- .

r l - I

At least two large grocery chains-Safeway and , - Albertsons-require third-party inspections and certifi- -1 cation for produce. To help growers in their efforts, i group of universities are working together and have 3 , developed GAPs, or Good Agricultural Practices. The l-L voluntary program provides growers with general C -I

guidelines that can be - , , _ I - - I-- - &,. .tailored to their own -

r operation. GAPs were developed with input fi-om research- ers representing a number of disciphes, includmg horticulture, vocational agriculture, and food science.

Publications Available on Recent Studies in Food Technology at New Mexico State University I -

Assessment of Pathogenic Bacteria Deposited by Grazing Livestock and Wildlife on New Mexico Range Lands

Development and Evaluation of Chile-Based Products Canned by the Water Bath Canning Method

Food Technology Enhancement of New Mexico Specialty Foods

Independent Restaurants in New Mexico: An Analysis of Best Practices

Each of these publications can be found by doing an online search for the title at the College of Agriculture and Home Economics search page. --- http://cahe.nmsu.edu/search.html

Curly Top Predicted for the 2005 Growing Season

Rains that saturated southern New Mexico this winter difficult to control chemically, the best prevention plan created prime conditions for a deadly plant disease now is to pull, shred, mow or till these weeds before called curly top that could end up hurting aprornising they produce more weed seeds and the leafhoppers get chile crop.

"It can be devastating to com- mercial fields," said John Whlte, Dofia Ana County horticulture agent with New Mexico State University's Cooperative Exten- sion Service.

Fall showers germinated a bumper crop of weeds led by a

really comfortable, he said. When temperatures rise this

spring and weeds die back, the leafhopper will move to greener pastures, White said. But in thls case, it will be green chile fields. The last time New Mexico chile producers faced a difficult and expensive bout

species with a spacey name of The plant on the right is infected with curly of curly top was 200 1, when London rocket. Then a rare series top. Characteristics include stunted plant losses ranged from 30 to 50

growth, curling leaves and the absence of of winter dumped more fmit The plant on the left is healthy. percent across Dofia Ana and than 5 inches of rain in the past Luna counties, the state's top- four months, bulking up the weed chile producing counties, said supply. Today, there is no natural resistance for the Rebecca Creamer, an NMSU virologist. virus, White said. Because many cool season weeds are -

Southwest Farm Press March 2005

*. L

New Mexico - The Chile Capital 6f the World New Mexico is now the official "Chile Capital of the why New Mexico should hold this title, some of those

World." On January 26,2005 Governor Bill Richardson include a $41 8 million dollar industry, the history and signed a bill to proclaim New Mexico as the Chile research that New Mexico holds, as well as, chile being Capital of the World. With help from The Chile Pepper the signature crop of New Mexico. Institute, there was a multitude of reasons given as to

Salsa on top in Bon Apphtit Survey

How does America eat? Some answers emerge fiom a and lots of small plates are "in" things; raw food and poll ofBon Appktit readers, summarized in the March super sizing are not. As for desserts, if the choice is ice issue. The survey quizzed readers about their top food cream, chocolate layer cake, or cheesecake, the answer choices. Among the food preferences, salsa was the is: All of the above. A spicy forecast: The flavor experts

favorite condi- at McCormick & Co. have teamed up with cookbook ment Favorite authors, TV personalities, and some i f ~merica's best -1 vegetables were chefs to examine new flavor trends in its 2005 Flavor spinach, arti- Forecast. This year's top choice is pickling spice - a chokes and combination of cinnamon, allspice, mustard seed, broccoli - in coriander, bay leaves, ginger, chlle peppers, cloves, that order. black pepper, mace and cardamom. Pickling spice Comfort food, makes for a nice complement to pot roasts, braised artisan foods, meats, stews, soups, and rice dishes. -Denver Post

March 2005

2005 Chile Harvest Calendar

August

New Mexico Chile Harvest Begins (July - October)

NMSU Chile Field Day (August 10)

2nd World Pepper Conference www.world-pepper.orglwpc2005

September

Hatch Chile Festival (Sept. 3-4) www.hatchnm.bizJhatch - chile-fest.htm

The Whole Enchilada Fiesta(Sept 23-25) www.twefie.com

The Santa Fe Wine & Chile Fiesta (Sept 2 1-25) www.santafewineandchile.org

Really Chile Festival www.reallychilefest.com

Chile Pepper Institute Gears Up for ASSURED Program

A grant from the National Science Foundation to teach students from fm labor family backgrounds was I renewed and will get underway for the third time at The Chile Pepper Institute. The Agricultural Science Sum- I mer Undergraduate Research Education and Develop- ment (ASSURED) Program grant allows 10 underrepresented students with a family background of farm labor and either first or second-generation migrants to learn about agricultural science and research during a ten week session this summer. The Chile Pepper Insti- tute coordinates and carries out the program that gives these students, who often have a negative view of agriculture, a chance to see the bigger picture. For more information visit the Institute's website at www.chlepepperinstitute.org.

Burning Questions Q. I have a serrano chile plant about eight weeks old that was otherwise healthy until three weeks ago at which time it began taking on something of a yellowish hue. At about eight inches tall, under grow lights the new leaves are looking rippled in appearance and beginning to curl inward. Examining the undersides of the leaves, I was surprised to note that the veins are starting to look dark brown almost as if somethmg had been injected into them.

A. It sounds like apretty good description of Curly Top Virus. Of course, the plant would have to have been visited by a leafhopper carrying the virus. Information on this disease can be found at http ://cahe.nmsu.edu/pubs/-h/h- 1 06. pdf.

Q. I purchased an ornamental chile plant at my local garden center and after getting it home noticed that the tag described the plant as "ornamental use only- non-edible". It is a Capsicum annuum and I thought that chiles were edible, are they?

A. All chile peppers are edible as long as it is a true Capsicum. A lot of times nursery growers will put this information on the plant because ornamental chiles have been bred for their appearance and they are very hot and with little flavor.

Q. I have some chtle pepper seeds that are about 2 years old, my master gardener friend suggested I get some new seeds. How long can chle pepper seeds be stored?

A. As long as the seeds are kept in a cool, dry, dark place, in an airtight container they should last at least four years.