A new aromatic pepper variety promising high yields within just 18 months has been developed by 36-year-old scientist Sri Lakshmi Venkatapathy from Koodapakkam, Puducherry. The new innovation gives quicker and productive yields as opposed to conventional varieties, which may take up to seven years for the same yields.

Key Highlights:

1. Faster Yield:

2. This new variety of pepper will take just 18 months to mature and yield while traditional ones take seven years to do the same.

3. It can yield 5 kg of dry pepper in five to six years.

  2.  Distinct Features:

• Plant is about 15 feet high. The vines from the top grow throughout the plant unlike in traditional varieties, which vines only grows on top of a 25 feet tall plant.

• The pods and leaves exude a specific lemony scent and possess an extremely pungent taste.

  3.  Innovation and Background:

• Natural mutation on the scientist's family farm.

• Sri Lakshmi is the daughter of Padma Shri awardee and agricultural researcher Venkatapathy Reddiar.

• She has developed more than 100 plant varieties so far, such as orange and chocolate-flavored guava.

  4.  Unveiling:

• The new variety was unveiled by Puducherry Assembly Speaker R Selvam.

• The family is going to patent the pepper variety, continuing their legacy of innovative agricultural contributions.

Statements from Leaders or Officials:

• Sri Lakshmi Venkatapathy, Scientist and Developer:

"The new variety can yield up to 5 kg of dry pepper in five to six years. The pods and leaves emit a distinct lemon aroma, and the variety is notably spicy."A variant of pepper flavour lemon, going to change pepper cultivation with better yield in record time and possess special characteristics has plans to go for a patent. This highlights Puducherry's development towards agriculture science advancement.