The chilli is a spice crop and its fruits are used in all culinary preparations at household levels, in hotels in eating houses, etc. The chilli mainly adds to the taste of food preparations due to its capsaicin content which gives pungent taste. It also has some nutritive value because it contains vitamin C. On account of its quality of adding to taste and flavor to food preparations, it is consumed by all classes of people-poor and rich. In fact it is more consumed by poor and middle class people due to these qualities and affordable price. The chilli can be grown under wide range climatic conditions and hence it is grown throughout the country to satisfy the need of common people. Series of varieties of chilli have been developed in the past to increase per hectare yield and total production. Some of the new varieties of this crop are given below: 

1. Agnirekha: This variety is evolved by Mahatma Phule Agricultural University, Rahuri and released for cultivation in 1992. This is a cross between Dondaicha and Jwala. The plants are of medium height. It is recommended for Kharif and summer seasons. The plants are hard and do not lodge on the ground. The yield recovery of dried red chillies is low and hence recommended for green chilli production. The fruits are 10-12 cm. long and 0.8 to 1.0 cm. Thick. The chillies are dark green and yield potential of green chillies is 200 to 250 Q/ha.

2. Phule Jyoti: This variety is developed by Mahatma Phule Agricultural University Rahuri and recommended for cultivation in 1995. The variety is evolved by selection method. The plants are tall and branching starts from the ground level. The fruits are borne is clusters of 3-5. The flowering starts after 50-55 days. The fruits are soft and medium in length (8-9 cm). Matured chillies have attractive red colour. The yield of green chillies is 200 Q/ha and that of dried chillies 30-35 Q/ha. It is tolerant to fruit fly and wilt disease.

3. Phule Suryamukhi: This variety is developed by Mahatma Phule Agricultural University, Rahuri and released for cultivation in 1996. The fruits are borne in clusters of 3-4 chillies. Therefore plucking is easy. The fruits face upward. The variety comes to flowering 50-55 days after sowing seeds. The green chillies are very dark in colour and matured dry chillies are dark red. The yield of green chillies is 165 Q/ha.

4. Konkan Kirti: This variety is developed by Konkan Agricultural University, Dapoli from a cross between N.P.46 A and I.C 154. The plants are dwarf 60 to 70 cm in height. The leaves and fruits are dark green. It is less pungent and hence more in demand in foreign countries and hence good for export. The fruits are 7-8 cm in length and straight. Matured fruits are dark red in colour. The vitamin ‘C’ content is relatively high. The yield of green chillies is 100 to 120 Q/ha and that of dried chillies 15 to 20 Q/ha under Konkan condition. Life of plants is 180 to 200 days. It is resistant to spider insects.

5. AKC 79-18 (Surakta): The variety is developed by Dr.Punjabrao Deshmukh Agricultural University, Akola in 1992. It is evolved through selection. The plants are dwarf and length of fruits is 6-8 cm. Green fruits have attractive green colour and when matured attain attractive red colour. The yield of dried chillies is 16 to 18 Q/ha.

6. AKC 96-39 (Jayanti): This variety is developed through selection from C.A.960 by Dr.Punjabrao Deshmukh Agricultural University, Akola in 1994. The height of plants is 60-65cm and length of fruits is 9-10cm and they are curved. Green fruits are light green and matured fruits are dark red in colour. The yield of green chillies is 85 to 90 Q/ha. While that of dried chillies is 20 to 22 Q/ha.

7. Tejas: This variety is developed by Marathwada Agricultural University, Parbhani for growing under unirrigated conditions of light soils and less rainfall area. The fruits are long and they are more pungant. The yield of green chillies is 100 to 150 Q/ha and that of dried chillied 7 to 9 Q/ha.

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