Introduction to Chili
Chili, A Vegetable for Diet Options
How to Grow Chili
Let's Follow Each Step to Ensure Healthy Chili Growth!
Preparing the Land
Choose a location with loose, fertile soil and a suitable area. Make sure the land hasn't been planted with crops from the same family, such as chili, potatoes, tomatoes, melons, or tobacco. It is fine to use former rice, corn, or onion fields. Clean the land of weeds and plant debris.
Using Superior Varieties for Seeds
Choose seeds according to the elevation of your land. For medium to highland areas, varieties such as Lembang 1, Keriting, and Hot Beauty are recommended. For lowland areas, varieties like Tanjung 1, Tanjung 2, Keriting, Prembun, or Jatilaba are suitable.
Planting Chili
Choose the right time to plant, either in the morning or evening. Select seedlings with straight stems, healthy roots, and normal growth. Carefully remove seedlings from the tray, ensuring the stems and roots do not break. Plant the seedlings in the prepared holes and lightly pack the soil around the roots. The spacing between plants should be 50 x 60 cm. Water the seedlings to ensure adequate moisture.
Chili Care Steps for Large Fruits
Thinning: If some chili seedlings do not grow well or die, replace them by thinning. This should be done a week after planting. Watering: Water the plants every morning and evening. Ensure the soil stays moist but not waterlogged, with humidity around 60-80%.
Harvesting Chili
Harvest in the morning or evening to ensure the fruits are in optimal condition. Pick the chili fruits by the stem to avoid damaging the branches. Harvest every 3-4 days, and this can be done 12-20 times (or until the chili plants are 6-7 months old). Sort the harvested fruits, separating those in good condition from those damaged by pests or diseases.
Binomial Name
Scientific Classification
Kingdom
Plantae
Subkingdom
Tracheobionta
Superdivisi
Spermatophyta
Divisi
Magnoliophyta
Kelas
Magnoliopsida
Subkelas
Asteridae
Ordo
Solanales
Famili
Solanaceae
Genus
Capsicum
Origin of Chili
The Red One from South America
Chili is a member of the nightshade family, which is related to eggplant, potatoes, tomatoes, and bell peppers. Chili is believed to have originated from the Americas, specifically from Mexico. Around 8000 BCE, small wild chili peppers were first harvested by the indigenous people of the Tehuacán region in Mexico. The wild chili plants originated from Ancon and Huaca Prieta in Peru around 2500 BCE in South America.
Chili was introduced to Indonesia by Portuguese and Spanish sailors to Southeast Asia in the 16th century. It originally came from the Americas and was brought to Southeast Asia by Portuguese and Spanish sailors in the 16th century. Today, chili is cultivated in countries such as Mexico, the United States, China, Egypt, Indonesia, Spain, Turkey, and Nigeria.
Chili Production Centers in Indonesia
Aceh
North Sumatra
West Sumatra
Bengkulu
South Sumatra
West Java
East Java
Central Java
Bali
South Kalimantan
Central Kalimantan
South Sulawesi
Interesting Facts
Archaeological evidence of wild chili seeds has been found in cave floors in Ocampo, Tamaulipas, and Tehuacán dating back to 5000 BCE. Chili was highly valued by Native Americans, ranking second after corn and cassava. Chili played an important role in cultural and religious ceremonies among Native Americans.
Chili Nutritional Content
Per (100 gram)
Energy
36 kkal
Protein
1 gr
Fat
0,3 gr
Carbohydrates
7,3 gr
Fiber
1,4 gr
Calcium
29 mg
Phosporus
24 mg
Sodium
23 mg
Potassium
272,4 mg
Iron
0,5 mg
Copper
120 mcg
Zinc
0,2 mg
Vitamin A
0 mcg
Vitamin B1
0,05 mg
Vitamin B2
0,09 mg
Vitamin B3
3 mg
Vitamin C
18 mg
Beta-carotene
5833 μg
Main Health Benefits
Weight Loss
Chili has a high capsaicin content. Capsaicin helps burn fat and body energy quickly. If you consume chili daily, with an intake of around 2 mg of capsaicin, you can lose weight and reduce waist size in just 12 weeks (3 months)! Moreover, capsaicin stimulates the salivary glands to produce more saliva, helping break down food in the mouth so that nutrients can be absorbed faster by the body.
Cancer Risk Prevention
Cancer is a disease where body cells grow abnormally and rapidly, often caused by oxidative stress. Chili contains high levels of antioxidants such as vitamin C, capsaicin, flavonoids, and phenolics. Capsaicin, flavonoids, alkaloids, and phenolic compounds have anti-cancer properties. These compounds inhibit the growth and development of cancer cells (antiproliferative) and can induce apoptosis (programmed cell death).
Lowering Cholesterol and Reducing Heart Disease Risk
Chili helps lower bad cholesterol (LDL) levels due to its high capsaicin content. Capsaicin helps reduce fat in the bloodstream and promotes smooth blood flow, which can help maintain healthy cholesterol levels. Additionally, chili’s vitamin B, potassium, folic acid, and beta-carotene content can lower homocysteine levels, which, when elevated, can damage blood vessels and increase heart disease risk.
Strengthening the Immune System
Chili is rich in vitamin B and C, as well as antioxidants such as folic acid, zinc, iron, and copper. These compounds play a role in boosting immunity. Vitamin C, in particular, is crucial for the production of white blood cells, which fight off various viruses and bacteria that infect the body.
Regulating Blood Sugar and Preventing Diabetes
Chili can help regulate blood sugar levels. It contains fiber that slows down digestion and the absorption of sugar in the body, helping maintain stable blood sugar levels. Capsaicin in chili helps lower blood sugar levels, making it beneficial for people with Type 1 diabetes. Additionally, capsaicin increases insulin production and sensitivity, helping the body manage blood sugar more effectively.
Relieving Pain
Chili can help alleviate pain because it contains capsaicin, which interacts with pain receptors in the body, preventing nerves from continuously sending pain signals. Capsaicin also stimulates the release of endorphins, which act as natural painkillers. For this reason, many pain-relieving creams and ointments contain capsaicin.
Chili Varieties
You Should Choose These Chili Varieties to Plant!
Tanjung 1
Released by the Ministry of Agriculture in 2011, this variety can produce up to 18 tons/ha. The harvest period is very short, only 58 days after planting. This variety is resistant to thrips pests.
Tanjung 2
Also released in 2011, this variety can yield up to 12 tons/ha. It has a short harvest period of 63 days after planting and is resistant to anthracnose disease.
Ciko
Released in 2011, this variety can produce up to 20.5 tons/ha. It has a harvest period of 81-84 days after planting and is resistant to high rainfall.
Lingga
This variety was released in 2011 and can yield up to 20.5 tons/ha. The harvest period is 88-95 days after planting. Studies show that this variety is resistant to Yellow Curl Leaf Disease (PYLCV).
Inata Agrihorti
Released by the Ministry of Agriculture in 2017, this variety can produce up to 19.7 tons/ha. The harvest period is 97-120 days after planting. It is best suited for dry-season cultivation in highland areas.
Kencana
This variety, also released in 2011, can yield up to 22.9 tons/ha. The harvest period is 95-98 days after planting, and it is resistant to high rainfall.
You Should Know
Inata Agrihorti is the first hybrid chili variety registered by the Agricultural Research and Development Agency. It was developed through the crossbreeding of Tanjung 2 and a long-generation line from AVRDC (PP 0537 7558). This variety is resistant to bacterial wilt and Gemini viruses.
Economic Potential and Market
King of Vegetables, Here's the Economic Potential of Chili!
Chili is one of the vegetable commodities with significant economic and social value. Chili is not only distributed domestically but also exported to other countries. In 2017, Indonesia successfully exported chili to several countries such as Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, and Nigeria, valued at 6.11 million USD (30.06%), Singapore, and Taiwan at 1.09 million USD (5.37%), and other countries contributed 35.64%. In 2021, Indonesia successfully exported chili to countries like Malaysia, Taiwan, and Saudi Arabia with values of 1.72 million USD (8.45%), 1.65 million USD (7.33%), and 8.35 million USD (14.16%), respectively. Malaysia’s contribution amounted to 1.23 million USD (5.48%), with other countries contributing below 5%. These five countries contributed to 69.03% of Indonesia’s chili export value.
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