The Pongola area of South Africa is renowned for its’ Thai chillies. STAR 6604 has been a leading variety in the region for many years but recent trials have identified a new contender for the crown. Zinger, trialled as HP 2089, has consistently proved superior to all other entries and is poised to become the new leader in the industry.
Zinger pods are characterized by a vibrant dark green to deep red hue, making it a very attractive choice for the fresh market. Productivity was impressive with a continuous yield from medium sized, bushy plants. The vigour of Zinger plants and their healthy state at the end of the trial can be seen in the photographs.
Results from one trial are given in the table below. Planting was in mid-May and final assessment made in October.
Zinger produced an average of 260g of fruit per plant and was productive right to the end of the trial. This was a significantly greater yield than either the standards or any of the new entries tested.
The pods produced by Zinger are smooth, medium to large in size (8.5 x 1.2 cm) and uniform in appearance. The uniform colour development is also evident in the photograph below.
Zinger will soon be commercially available to growers and can be used with confidence. With its’ superior characteristics and impressive trial performance, Zinger is a pungent and promising addition to the Thai chilli market in South Africa.
