BRIN Develops Superior Hybrid Cayenne Pepper Variety CR 58

The National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) is developing a hybrid cayenne pepper variety, CR 58, which offers high productivity and improved resistance to pests and diseases. Researcher Rinda Kirana from BRIN’s Horticulture Research Centre explained that the variety is currently undergoing further testing and must meet certification requirements before it can be released to the public. Plant breeding can be defined as the art and science of managing plant traits to produce characteristics that are more ideal or suited to human needs. From this process, two selected lines were obtained, line 55 and line 56, which were then crossed through a single cross using line 56 as the female parent and line 55 as the male parent. The resulting cross underwent preliminary yield trials in 2022–2023 to evaluate its productivity as a key characteristic of a superior variety. In 2024, the research team compiled a variety description as the basis for obtaining a Plant Breeding Result Registration Certificate. Testing is still ongoing to identify the various superior traits possessed by CR 58. Beyond the research stages, the development of the variety must also comply with seed regulations set by the Ministry of Agriculture. Intellectual property in the form of a variety also serves as a researcher performance indicator. The process involves the Centre for Plant Variety Protection and Agricultural Licensing (PPVTPP) and the Directorate General of Horticulture. PPVTPP facilitates the Plant Breeding Result Registration Certificate and the Plant Variety Protection Certificate, while the Directorate General of Horticulture facilitates the Variety Registration Certificate for Seed Distribution. Currently, CR 58 has only obtained one of the three certificates required by the Ministry of Agriculture. The next step is to obtain the Variety Registration Certificate for Seed Distribution in accordance with Ministry of Agriculture Regulation Number 24 of 2025 and the Technical Guidelines of the Director General of Horticulture Number 586 of 2025. To meet these requirements, the research team is still conducting superiority tests, distinctness tests, characterisation of identifying traits, and hybridity tests to ensure the purity of the cross. Researchers hope CR 58 can be utilised by the public as a superior cayenne pepper variety capable of increasing productivity while strengthening national food security. Furthermore, this variety is expected to contribute to the stability of supply and prices of chilli, which is one of Indonesia’s strategic horticultural commodities.