Teja (S-17)
A very high-pungency hybrid grown widely for the oleoresin and export market where high capsaicin heat is the value, not colour.
Quick facts
- Crop
- Chilli
- Type
- Hybrid
- Season
- Kharif
- Maturity period
- 160–180 days
- Seed rate
- 1.0 kg per hectare as an open-pollinated variety
- Expected yield
- High (20–25 q/ha dry)
- Suitable soil
- Loam
- Disease resistance
- Moderate
Actual yield depends on sowing time, soil, irrigation, weather, seed quality and crop management.
About this variety
Teja (S-17) is the dominant hot dry-chilli variety of the Guntur belt, corroborated across multiple secondary sources as accounting for nearly half of the crop grown in Guntur district because of its extreme pungency and grinding yield. It consistently delivers 50,000-100,000 Scoville Heat Units, driven by high capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin fractions, and gives an oleoresin yield of 14-18% under solvent extraction, making it the preferred feedstock for oleoresin manufacturers. Its exact parentage cross, developing institute and release year could not be confirmed.
Should you pick this variety?
Pick Teja (S-17) if an oleoresin plant or an export trader is buying your dry chilli on heat. It runs a consistent 50,000–100,000 SHU and yields 14–18% oleoresin under solvent extraction, which is why it makes up nearly half the chilli crop of Guntur district and has ready buyers in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Madhya Pradesh. Expect 20–25 q/ha dry over 160–180 days. Its breeding record is not documented — institute, cross and release year could not be confirmed — so buy seed from a dealer you trust. Choose Byadgi if the payment is for colour, and Guntur Sannam for the GI-registered general dry-chilli grade.
Sowing & cultivation
- Sowing timeJanuary–February, June–July or September–October
- Seed rate1.0 kg per hectare as an open-pollinated variety
- Spacing60 x 45 cm
- Sowing methodSow on raised nursery beds in lines 10 cm apart, drench against damping off every 15 days, and transplant 40–45 day old seedlings on ridges 60 cm apart
- IrrigationWeekly irrigation
Soil & climate
Soil
- Suitable soil
- Well-drained loam rich in organic matter
- pH
- 6.5–7.5
Advantages & considerations
Why farmers may choose it
- Extreme, consistent pungency (50,000-100,000 SHU) and high oleoresin yield (14-18%), making it the preferred feedstock for oleoresin extraction and export
- Dominant market share in Guntur — nearly half the district's chilli crop, per corroborated secondary sources, giving strong buyer familiarity and demand
Things to consider
- The exact parentage cross, developing institute and release year of Teja (S-17) could not be confirmed. The facts here rest on trade and secondary sources describing its market role and pungency, not on a breeding record.
Suitable regions
States this variety is recommended for — check locally, since a state can have more than one recommended zone.
- Andhra Pradesh
- Telangana
- Madhya Pradesh
Sold on heat, not colour — and handled with care
Teja is grown for capsaicin: the oleoresin and export trade buys it for heat, where Byadgi is bought for colour. Those are two different buyers, and quoting one market's rate for the other variety is how farmers end up disappointed with a good crop.
Two practical points. First, find the buyer before the season — extraction units and exporters buy on heat, often through a trader or an FPO, and the ordinary masala market may not pay extra for it. Second, protect yourself and your workers: a very high-pungency chilli burns skin and eyes, so wear gloves and cover your face when picking, drying, grading and especially when grinding, and keep children away from the drying yard. Dry it on a clean sheet, keep the lot free of mould and black fruit, and store it dry. It is a hybrid, so buy fresh seed each season.
Where the planting material comes from
This is a hybrid, so seed kept from your own harvest will not breed true. The next crop comes up uneven in height, maturity and yield. Buy fresh certified seed every season and keep the bag tag until harvest.
How it compares with other varieties
Every Chilli variety with a page on this site, side by side. The row for this page is highlighted.
| Variety | Best for | Maturity | Yield | States |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arka Lohit | Pungent long chilli for pickles and chutney, irrigated or rainfed | 150–170 days | Medium–High | Karnataka |
| Byadgi | Deep red colour for the oleoresin and masala trade, not heat | 170–180 days | 8–15 q/ha (dry chilli) | Karnataka |
| G4 (Guntur) | Guntur-belt chilli for both the green export trade and dry red sale | 160–170 days | 40–45 q/ha (dry chilli) | Andhra Pradesh, Telangana |
| Guntur Sannam (LCA-334) | The GI-registered dry-chilli grade for domestic trade and export | 160–180 days | High (20–25 q/ha dry) | Andhra Pradesh, Telangana |
| Kashi Anmol | Early green chilli from a short, compact plant | 150–170 days | Medium–High | Uttar Pradesh |
| Pusa Jwala | High-pungency chilli with easy bunch picking, seed you can save | 150–160 days | 16–18 q/ha (dry chilli) | Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh |
| Teja (S-17)this page | Extreme-heat dry chilli for oleoresin extraction and export | 160–180 days | High (20–25 q/ha dry) | Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Madhya Pradesh |
Tools for this crop
The numbers you need next: how much seed to buy, whether the lot germinates, what the fertilizer bill looks like and what Chilli is selling for.
- Seed Rate CalculatorHow much seed your Chilli plot needs, corrected for the germination of the lot you bought.
- Germination CalculatorTest 100 seeds from the bag before sowing and see whether the lot is fit to sow.
- Seed Variety FinderFilter every Chilli variety on this site by state, season, duration and soil.
- Fertilizer CalculatorTurn the NPK recommendation for Chilli into bags of urea, DAP and MOP for your field size.
- Crop CalendarMonth-by-month sowing, weeding, irrigation and harvest dates for Chilli in your state.
- Crop Profit CalculatorPut your seed, labour and input costs against the yield you expect from this variety.
- Mandi Price CheckerToday's Chilli rate in your nearest mandi, before you fix a price with a trader.
Subsidy and government support
Schemes that help with the cost of Chilli seed or planting material. Rules and the application route are on each scheme page.
Frequently asked questions
Why is Teja (S-17) chilli so popular in Guntur?
Its extreme, consistent pungency and high oleoresin yield make it the preferred feedstock for oleoresin manufacturers — it accounts for nearly half of Guntur district's chilli crop, per corroborated secondary sources.
How pungent is Teja (S-17)?
50,000-100,000 Scoville Heat Units consistently, driven by high capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin fractions.
What is Teja (S-17) mainly used for?
Oleoresin extraction (14-18% yield under solvent extraction) and export, where high capsaicin heat is the value, not colour.
Where is Teja (S-17) chilli mainly grown?
Primarily in the Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh, and also in Telangana and Madhya Pradesh.
Who developed Teja (S-17) and when was it released?
Not confirmed. Its exact parentage, developing institute and release year could not be found.
Is Teja seed reliable, if no breeding institute is recorded for it?
The market for it is solid — it is nearly half of Guntur's crop — but with no breeding record there is no notified seed standard to hold a seller to. Buy from a dealer with a bill, prefer a lot other farmers in your area have used, and check germination on a small tray before you sow the nursery.
Does Teja need anything different from Guntur Sannam in the field?
The crop calendar is similar, 160–180 days of a long irrigated kharif chilli, and both need thrips and leaf-curl management. The difference is at sale: Teja is bought on heat and oleoresin, so clean drying without colour loss and without mould matters more than pod looks.
Why do oleoresin buyers prefer Teja?
Because 14–18% of the dry pod comes out as oleoresin under solvent extraction, and the heat is consistent at 50,000–100,000 SHU. A plant buying for extraction pays for that recovery rate, not for the look of the chilli.
What seed rate and spacing does Teja need?
1.0 kg per hectare at 60 x 45 cm, with weekly irrigation. Teja is sold on pungency for the oleoresin trade, and a crop that goes short of water at fruit set gives fewer fruit, so steady irrigation is part of the quality, not just the yield.
How long does Teja take, and what does that mean for my field?
160–180 days, about the same as Guntur Sannam. With pickings spread over weeks after that, treat the field as committed for most of the year. That is the real reason to settle your buyer before you sow, not after the chilli is drying on the floor.
Sourced from: Crop Production Guide (Horticulture), TNAU and Department of Horticulture, Tamil Nadu: chilli seed rate, spacing, season, nursery management and irrigation. editorial policy.