January 29, 2010

Source: AVRDC, The World Vegetable Center Newsletter

The vegetable industry in Uzbekistan is heating up with the release of a new chili pepper variety, ‘Uchkun’—a selection from AVRDC pepper line 0337-7069. Among the lines that went out for evaluation in 2005 in AVRDC’s 15th International Chili Pepper Nursery, 0337-7069 was rated as most responsive to good farming practices, and able to produce high yields in good environments.

‘Uchkun’ is a disease-resistant, mid-maturing variety with high yield. Fruits are large, have a high nutrient content, and can be used fresh or for processing. Because no similar variety is available in Central Asia, ‘Uchkun’ represents a good market opportunity for farmers. This improved variety now has a place on Uzbekistan’s state variety register.

The Uzbek Research Institute of Plant Industry conducts state variety trials to test and systematically improve the country’s agricultural crops, including chili. The process ensures new varieties with better traits receive wider distribution. Through close cooperation between NARES partners in the region and Ravza Mavlyanova, AVRDC’s coordinator for Central Asia and the Caucasus, farmers now have more choices when selecting seed to grow vegetable crops with strong market demand.

Website: https://avrdc.org/

Published: January 29, 2010