Byadgi
The GI-tagged Karnataka landrace grown for deep red colour and mild pungency rather than heat — the oleoresin and spice-blend trade pays a premium for it that outright heat cannot match.
Quick facts
- Crop
- Chilli
- Type
- Open-pollinated
- Season
- Kharif
- Maturity period
- 170–180 days
- Expected yield
- 8–15 q/ha (dry chilli)
- Suitable soil
- Loam
- Release
- Not a single bred/released variety in the ICAR sense — a long-cultivated Karnataka landrace/type, granted Geographical Indication tag number 129 in February 2011
About this variety
Byadgi (also spelled Byadagi) is a GI-tagged Karnataka chilli type named for the town of Byadagi in Haveri district, grown across that district as well as parts of neighbouring Dharwad and Goa — a directly-fetched Wikipedia article confirms it received Geographical Indication tag number 129 in February 2011. It's a Capsicum annuum type valued far more for deep-red colour and mild, aromatic pungency than heat: the same source gives an ASTA colour value of 156.9 (a very high rating) against a comparatively low reported Scoville range of about 5,000–15,000 SHU, and separately reported capsaicin figures for it disagree sharply across sources — one describes 'negligible' capsaicin around 0.03%, another 0.8–1.3% — a real disagreement between sources rather than a single settled figure, stated here as a range with the discrepancy noted rather than picking one. Two named sub-types are grown: Kaddi (long, thin, wrinkled/gnarled, fewer seeds) and Dabbi (smaller, plumper, more seeds, less pungent, favoured for oleoresin extraction and masala blending for its superior colour). About 50 litres of oleoresin can be extracted per tonne of chillies, and — per the same directly-fetched source — Byadgi chilli trade represents the second-largest turnover among all Indian chilli varieties, with annual sales around ₹30 billion (Rs 3,000 crore) at the Byadgi APMC market alone.
Key characteristics
Yield & maturity
Maturity period
170–180 days
Expected yield
8–15 q/ha (dry chilli)
Actual yield depends on sowing time, soil, irrigation, weather, seed quality and crop management.
Pest & disease considerations
Major diseases
- Moderate fruit rot tolerance
Advantages & considerations
Why farmers may choose it
- Very high ASTA colour rating (156.9) against comparatively low, mild pungency is exactly the combination the oleoresin, spice-blend and cosmetics trades pay a premium for, matching this record's own note about that premium.
- GI protection (since February 2011) formally distinguishes genuine Byadgi-origin chilli from other red chillies sold under the same name, backing the trade's willingness to pay more for it.
Things to consider
- Sources disagree sharply on Byadgi's capsaicin content — one figure is 'negligible' (~0.03%), another reports 0.8–1.3% — likely reflecting the difference between the milder Dabbi and hotter Kaddi sub-types, or simply inconsistent measurement across sources; stated here as a range with the disagreement flagged rather than picking one figure.
Suitable regions
States this variety is recommended for — check locally, since a state can have more than one recommended zone.
- Karnataka
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between Byadgi Kaddi and Dabbi?
Kaddi is long, thin and wrinkled with fewer seeds and is the more widely grown type; Dabbi is smaller, plumper, has more seeds, is less pungent, and is preferred for oleoresin extraction and masala blends because of its superior colour.
Is Byadgi actually a bred variety like Pusa Jwala?
No — sources describe it as a long-cultivated Karnataka landrace/regional type rather than a single ICAR- or university-bred release, protected instead by a February 2011 Geographical Indication tag (number 129) that defines genuine Byadgi-origin chilli.
Sourced from: Byadagi chilli — Wikipedia, Chilli Varieties in India — Agri Farming. editorial policy.