Long Peppers Varieties Resistant to Diseases

Strong Against Disease, Hot on the Market.

This group of high-performing long varieties, bred by the World Vegetable Center, supports development goals through its 6.8–18.01 t/ha yield potential over 10 harvests and 70–85 days maturity (Full variety list in downloads below). These varieties withstand high heat and resist key diseases including Cucumber Mosaic Virus, Potato Virus Y, Phytophthora blight, anthracnose, and bacterial wilt. Its upright plants produce long, uniform fruits suited for fresh or dried markets. As open-pollinated varieties, it is accessible to NGOs, farmer cooperatives, and women's groups for seed multiplication and distribution. It fits well into climate-smart, nutrition-sensitive, and inclusive agricultural programs across Sub-Saharan Africa.

This technology is pre-validated.

7•8

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

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.

Problem

Smallholder farmers, especially women and youth, are highly vulnerable to climate stress and disease-related crop failure.
Lack of scalable, high-performing varieties limits development impact across rural areas.
Pesticide overuse undermines sustainable agriculture goals and increases health risks.
Few technologies address gender gaps, limiting women's productivity and access.
There is a shortage of field-tested, climate-resilient varieties aligned with income, nutrition, and sustainability goals.

Solution

Its disease resistance directly reduces the need for pesticides, aligning with health and sustainability goals.
High yield and climate resilience make it a scalable asset in income- and nutrition-focused programs.
The low input requirement makes it ideal for women and youth with limited access to agrochemicals or irrigation.
Being freely accessible and field-tested, it fits well into donor-funded seed distribution and training programs.
The variety provides a solid entry point for climate-smart agriculture, offering farmers a tangible benefit in the first season.

Key points to design your program

This technology addresses significant challenges in cayenne pepper cultivation, including declining yields, disease outbreaks, and pest infestations. In regions where cayenne peppers are essential to local diets and economies, it has demonstrated impressive results, achieving yields of up to 6.8–18.01 tons per hectare over 10 harvests.

It supports several Sustainable Development Goals: SDG 2 by increasing yields, SDG 5 by empowering women farmers, and SDG 13 by reducing chemical inputs due to its natural resistance to diseases and pests.

For detailed agronomic traits and disease resistance profiles of each variety, refer to the document attached in the “Download” section at the bottom of this profile.

These improved cayenne pepper varieties yield the best results when combined with sound agricultural practices. Key approaches include:

Integrated Pest Management (IPM): Employing natural predators, biological controls, and careful monitoring to manage pests effectively.
Soil Fertility Management: Applying balanced fertilizers, using organic amendments, and practicing proper crop rotation to maintain soil health.
Efficient Irrigation: Implementing drip or sprinkler systems to conserve water and ensure optimal moisture levels for plant growth.
Proper Post-Harvest Handling: Utilizing Zero Energy Cooling Chambers (ZECC) for maintaining pepper freshness, employing clean storage facilities, and following quality standards to enhance market value and reduce losses.

This solution is ideal for development programs focused on increasing farmer incomes and promoting resilient, sustainable agriculture. Partnering with organizations like World Vegetable Center or local agricultural institutes ensures technical support and successful implementation.

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

12 939 USD

Total revenue

IP

Open source / open access

Maturity of the idea 7

Semi-controlled environment: prototype

Level of use 8

Used by some intended users, in the real world

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

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

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.

For researchers interested in this line, refer to the guidelines attached for the field trial.