BRIN Develops Superior Hybrid Cayenne Pepper Variety CR 58
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) is currently developing the CR 58 hybrid bird’s eye chilli, which offers high productivity as well as better resistance to pests and diseases.
Rinda Kirana, a researcher at BRIN’s Horticultural Research Centre, explained in a statement in Jakarta on Friday that the development of the CR 58 bird’s eye chilli is still undergoing further testing and the process of meeting certification requirements before it can be distributed to the public.
“Plant breeding can be defined as the art and science of managing plant traits so as to produce characteristics that are more ideal or suited to human needs,” she said.
From that stage, two selected lines were obtained, namely line 55 and line 56, which were then crossed through a single cross between line 56 as the female parent and line 55 as the male parent.
The result of that cross, Rinda continued, underwent a preliminary yield trial in 2022–2023 to evaluate its productivity as one of the main characteristics of a superior variety.
“In 2024, the research team compiled a variety description as the basis for obtaining a Plant Breeding Product Registration Certificate. To this day, testing continues in order to identify the various superior characteristics possessed by CR 58,” she said.
In addition to the research stages, variety development must also comply with seed-sector regulations set by the Ministry of Agriculture.
According to Rinda, intellectual property in the form of plant varieties is also one indicator of researcher performance. The process involves the Centre for Plant Variety Protection and Agricultural Licensing (PPVTPP) and the Directorate General of Horticulture.
“The PPVTPP facilitates the Plant Breeding Product Registration Certificate and the Plant Variety Protection Rights Certificate, while the Directorate General of Horticulture facilitates the Variety Registration Certificate for Seed Distribution. At present, the CR 58 bird’s eye chilli has only obtained one of the three certificates required by the Ministry of Agriculture,” she said.
Rinda added that the next stage is to obtain the Variety Registration Certificate for Seed Distribution in accordance with Minister 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 tests for superiority, authenticity, identification of variety-distinguishing characteristics, and hybridity testing to ensure the purity of the cross.
Rinda expressed hope that CR 58 can be utilised by the public as a superior bird’s eye chilli variety capable of increasing productivity while strengthening national food security.
In addition, the variety is expected to contribute to the stability of supply and prices of chilli, one of Indonesia’s strategic horticultural commodities.