Yenice Red Pepper

Yenice Red Pepper is a pepper variety native to the Yenice district of Çanakkale Province, belonging to the species Capsicum annuum var. conoides cv. kapija. It has a conical shape and turns red when ripe. It is commonly used for fresh consumption, sauce production, and canning.

Morphological and Biochemical Characteristics

Yenice Red Pepper is a fatty pepper variety characterized by its conical shape with a slightly curved tip, and its skin turns red as it matures. It is primarily valued for fresh consumption, sauce production, and canning. Its distinguishing physical features include high flesh thickness, bright and homogeneous red color, a structure with 3–4 lobes, and a characteristic fruit aroma. This aroma, due to its high levels of carotenoids, evokes notes of “lemony, slightly sour, and freshly cut grass.”

The fruit length ranges from 5 to 15 cm, the fruit width from 6.5 to 20 mm, and the fruit weight from 8 to 100 grams. The flesh thickness is 3 to 4 mm, the seed cavity length is 40–50 mm, and the average number of seeds per fruit is 270. The seeds are disc-shaped and measure 3–4 mm in length. The flower is hermaphroditic, with 4–5 petals and sepals. The plant reaches an average height of 0.5 meters, and the taproot length varies between 1 and 80 cm.

Color and Chemical Values

Measured with a Minolta CR-400 device, the L value of the fruit skin ranges from 27.0 to 28.2, the chroma value from 30.8 to 32.0, and the hue value from 50.0 to 50.6. For the puree, the L value is 30.7–31.2, chroma is 32.5–33.4, and hue is 49.3–50.1. In terms of chemical composition, per 100 grams of fruit, the average water-soluble dry matter content is 8.33%, the pH is 4.97, the reducing sugar content is 0.89%, the sucrose content is 5.78%, and the total sugar content is 6.97%. The titratable acidity is determined to be 0.171%.

Production Method

The production of Yenice Red Pepper is carried out using traditional methods guided by local knowledge. Producers dry seeds selected from plants of desirable traits from the previous season and store them in cloth bags, sowing them in nurseries in April. Nurseries are prepared in loamy or loamy-sandy soils rich in organic matter and enriched with animal manure. Irrigation in nurseries is performed manually using fine sieves, and weed control is done by hand.

Seedlings are transplanted into the field in June as bare-root plants, planted in double rows with 70–80 cm between rows and 20–30 cm within rows. Drip irrigation systems are installed so that water does not come into direct contact with the plant stem. No watering is applied for 10–15 days after transplanting, a practice that promotes early fruit set. During April, the nurseries are covered overnight with plastic sheeting to facilitate seed germination.

The soil is deeply plowed in early spring, followed by disking and basal fertilization. Typically, 3–4 tons/ha of farmyard manure, 25–30 kg/ha of superphosphate, and 10–15 kg/ha of potassium sulfate are applied. Weeding is performed mechanically on large plots and manually on smaller areas.

Harvest and Storage

Harvesting begins in the second week of September and continues until the first frost, extending into the end of October. The product is labeled with the designation “Yenice Red Pepper,” the registered logo, and the origin emblem on the fruit or packaging. When labeling is not feasible, it must be prominently displayed within the production facility.

Monitoring Mechanism

The production process of Yenice Red Pepper is monitored by a control authority established under the coordination of the Yenice Chamber of Agriculture. This authority comprises experts from the Yenice Chamber of Agriculture, Yenice Municipality, Yenice District Directorate of Agriculture and Forestry, and Yenice Vocational School of Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University. Annual inspections are conducted, but additional inspections may be carried out at any time in response to complaints or specific needs.

Inspections evaluate the suitability of the seeds used, compliance with production methods, adherence to physical standards (fruit size, shape, number of lobes, color uniformity, brightness, and flesh thickness), and correct use of the geographical indication. When necessary, services may be obtained from public institutions or specialized private entities. Legal procedures for the protection of the geographical indication are managed by the registering authority.