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Title: NUMEX GARNET PAPRIKA

Author
item WALKER, S - NEW MEXICO STATE UNI
item Wall, Marisa
item BOSLAND, P - NEW MEXICO STATE UNIV

Submitted to: HortScience
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/24/2003
Publication Date: 6/1/2004
Citation: Walker, S., Wall, M.M., Bosland, P.W. 2004. Numex garnet paprika. Hortscience 39:629-630.

Interpretive Summary: In international trade, paprika is the term used for a non-pungent or low pungency red chile pepper. Approximately 15 to 20 percent of the paprika production in southern New Mexico and surrounding areas goes into oleoresin production, in which the pigments are extracted and used as a natural red colorant. Non-pungent or low pungency varieties are used for pigment extraction, because the compounds that confer pungency to chile are undesirable in the colorant market. NuMex Garnet is a new chile pepper cultivar that was developed specifically for the paprika industry. NuMex Garnet has low pungency, high extractable color, high yield, and high dry matter content. NuMex Garnet is particularly suited for use an a natural red colorant in the form of powder or oleoresin.

Technical Abstract: 'NuMex Garnet' is an open-pollinated, high extractable color, low pungency, paprika-type chile pepper (Capsicum annuum L.). The high extractable color, high percent dry matter, and low pungency of 'NuMex Garnet' makes this cultivar particularly suited for pigment extraction. 'NuMex Garnet' originates from a cross between a selection from 'B-18', a New Mexican land race, and a single plant selection from 'PA-5', a breeding line developed by the Texas A&M Agricultural Extension Service (TAES). Replicated field trials were conducted in south-east and south-central New Mexico from 1998 to 2001. The extractable color of 'NuMex Garnet' was consistently high when compared to the color values of 'Sonora', 'NuMex Conquistador', 'B-18' and 'NuMex Sweet'. Yields for 'NuMex Garnet' were not significantly different, and dry matter values were higher than those of the comparison cultivars. The pungency level of 'NuMex Garnet' was 157 Scoville heat units (SHU), which is below the maximum allowable level for paprika (700 SHU). Although 'NuMex Garnet' has not been tested for machine harvest in replicated field trials, the dispersed fruit set and ease of detachment suggests that 'NuMex Garnet' will be adapted to mechanical harvest.