Discover Mexico’s Finest Hot Peppers at Future of Veg in Woodland, Calif.

Hot peppers are more than an agricultural commodity. In Mexico, they are a culinary cornerstone and a source of great cultural pride, woven into the country’s cuisine and identity for generations. Syngenta Vegetable Seeds honors that legacy through its “Picosos que le dan sabor a México” (Spicy Peppers That Bring the Flavors of Mexico) campaign, a portfolio of jalapeño and ancho varieties developed to meet the real demands of growers across diverse climates, disease pressures, and market requirements. Attendees at the Future of Veg Field Day in Woodland, CA, Aug. 11–13, will have the opportunity to see these varieties growing in the field and connect with Syngenta technical experts who can speak to their performance firsthand.

“Sales teams go out and talk to the growers in their locations and find out what’s happening,” said Adrian Castro, Syngenta Vegetable Seeds Product Specialist Solanaceae Open Field, Mexico. “This means we can pay close attention to farmers’ needs and understand their challenges and then relay information to breeders at the Syngenta R&D facilities.”

A Jalapeño Portfolio Built for Performance

Jalapeños are among the most widely grown hot peppers in North America, cultivated across a broad range of climates and production systems. Mexico is one of the world’s leading producers, and growers there face no shortage of challenges: high heat, tight harvest windows, bacterial pressure, and the need for consistent fruit size and quality across the entire production cycle. At the Woodland field day, growers will find two jalapeño varieties purpose-built to address exactly those pressures.

Mexica is a new jalapeño variety designed for growers who need reliable, high-yield performance across Mexico’s main production regions, for both domestic and export markets. Its signature bullet-shaped fruit, measuring 4 to 5.5 inches on average, maintains consistent size and weight throughout the growing cycle. Strong hot-setting capability, meaning reliable fruit set under high temperatures, supports productivity even when conditions are challenging. Mexica also features a resistance package against bacterial leaf spot (BLS 1-3), along with strong plant vigor and a rugged structure that holds up across production environments.

Tlapaneco takes a different approach, built specifically for arid and semi-arid conditions where heat is intense and production windows are tight. It adapts well to regions such as Jalisco, Sonora, Coahuila, and Baja California, where high vigor, early maturity, and dependable fruit set under heat are essential. Its large, cylindrical fruit, measuring 4 to 5.2 inches on average, is uniform and thick-walled, meeting the quality standards required for both local markets and export. Like Mexica, Tlapaneco carries a BLS 1-3 resistance package, and its high tolerance to anthocyanins helps maintain the clean, dark green fruit color the market demands. Its plant structure also makes it well-suited for staked cultivation systems.

“Today Syngenta hot pepper products offer the characteristics that growers value,” Castro said. “They are highly versatile in different locations and conditions, and we are continually improving varieties to be resilient to changing threats. We have products with resistance, and plan to continue to find new and better resistances, for example against bacterial leaf spot and soil wilt.”

Silex: An Ancho Built for Early, Challenging Markets

The Woodland field day will also feature Silex, an ancho variety developed for early-season production in high-humidity, high-temperature environments where bacterial and viral pressure is common. What sets Silex apart is the combination of early maturity and a robust resistance package, including high resistance to Tobacco Mosaic Virus (TMV) and bacterial leaf spot (BLS 1-3), as well as intermediate resistance to Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus (TSWV). In conditions where other varieties struggle, Silex’s strong fruit set under heat helps growers to reach the market ahead of the competition.

The variety produces XL-sized fruit with a deep dark green color, thick walls, and a high percentage of two-locule fruit, characteristics that translate well for both fresh and dried applications. Its excellent fresh-to-dry conversion makes it a practical choice for growers who serve multiple market channels, and its concentrated harvest supports efficient field management.

Rounding Out the Portfolio

Syngenta’s ancho offerings extend beyond Silex to include Obsidiana, a variety suited to fresh-market production that ripens from a distinctive deep green to red. Obsidiana is known for its excellent packaging quality, uniform broad shoulders, and medium-spice heat level. It performs well across intermediate and late production cycles, offering an additional option for growers seeking versatility in their ancho program.

See the Portfolio in Action

The Future of Veg Field Day in Woodland, CA, is the place to see Mexica, Tlapaneco, and Silex growing side by side and to speak directly with Syngenta technical experts about how each variety fits different production systems and market goals. The event runs Aug. 11–13. Register today to join us in Woodland.

All photos are either the property of Syngenta or used with permission.

Performance results may vary based on local climate conditions, geographic location, soil type, and growing practices. Consult with your local agronomist or extension service for region-specific recommendations.

© 2026 Syngenta. Some or all of the varieties may be protected under one or more of the following: Plant Variety Protection, United States Plant Patents and/or Utility Patents and may not be propagated or reproduced without authorization. The Syngenta logo is a trademark of a Syngenta Group Company.