View source for Pepper X

{{Short description|Cultivar of Capsicum chili pepper}}
{{Infobox cultivar
| name = Pepper X
| image =
| species = ''[[Capsicum chinense]]''
| hybrid =
| breeder = [[Ed Currie]]
| origin = [[Fort Mill, South Carolina]], United States
| module = {{Infobox pepper
| embed = yes
| heat = Exceptionally hot
| scoville = 2,693,000<ref name="GWR">{{Cite web |date=23 August 2023 |title=Hottest chilli pepper |url=https://guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/hottest-chili |access-date=16 October 2023 |publisher=Guinness World Records Ltd.}}</ref>
}}
}}
'''Pepper X''' is a [[cultivar]] of ''[[Capsicum]]'' [[chili pepper]] bred by the American chili breeder [[Ed Currie]], the creator of the [[Carolina Reaper]].<ref name="kim">{{cite news |first1=Chloe|last1=Kim |title=Guinness World Records crowns new hottest pepper |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-67136085 |access-date=18 October 2023 |work=BBC News |date=17 October 2023}}</ref><ref name="chili">{{Cite news |last=Hultquist |first=Mike |date=23 February 2018 |title=Pepper X – Latest News and Information |work=Chili Pepper Madness |url=https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/news/pepper-x-latest-news-and-information/ |access-date=21 January 2019}}</ref><ref name="today">{{Cite news |last=Saelinger |first=Tracy |date=29 September 2017 |title='World's hottest pepper' will make you choke, sweat and cry for mercy |publisher=Today, NBC News |url=https://www.today.com/food/pepper-x-t116798 |access-date=17 December 2017}}</ref> In 2023, ''[[Guinness World Records]]'' recognized it as the world's [[hottest chili pepper]].<ref name=GWRX/>
==Breeding==
The exceptional [[pungency]] of the chili was developed over 10 years of cultivation for desired traits to emerge through [[Hybrid_(biology)#Animal_and_plant_breeding|selective plant breeding]], and 10 or more generations for the [[hybridity|hybrid]] chilis to stabilize with the desired intense pungency.<ref name=kim/><ref name=GWRX/> The breeder, [[Ed Currie]], produced 100 hybrid crosses per year with the intent that one or two would succeed for the 10-year development cycle.<ref name=kim/><ref name=GWRX/>
==Pungency==
Pepper X resulted from several cross breedings that produced an exceptionally high content of [[capsaicin]] in the [[locule]]s {{ndash}} the plant tissue holding the seeds.<ref name=kim/> The extensive curves and ridges of a Pepper X chili create more [[surface area]] for the plant [[ovule|placenta]] and locules to grow and retain capsaicin, adding to the intensity of heat experienced when a Pepper X is eaten.<ref name=kim/> Ingestion of a Pepper X chili causes intense abdominal cramps and heartburn.<ref name=kim/>
==''Guinness World Record''==
On August 23, 2023, ''[[Guinness World Records]]'' recognized Pepper X as the world's [[hottest chili pepper]], measuring 2.69 million [[Scoville scale|SHU]], beating the previous world record of 1.64 million SHU held by the [[Carolina Reaper]], also bred by Currie.<ref name="GWRX">{{Cite news |last=Atwal |first=Sanj |date=October 16, 2023 |title=Pepper X dethrones Carolina Reaper as world's hottest chilli pepper |work=Guinness World Records |url=https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/hottest-chili |access-date=October 31, 2023}}</ref>
== References ==
{{reflist}}
{{Capsicum cultivars}}
[[Category:Chili peppers]]
[[Category:Crops originating from the United States]]
[[Category:Capsicum cultivars]]