Mexican scientists obtain patent for Kisín, very spicy habanero pepper

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The Center of Scientific Research of Yucatán (CICY) obtained the title of breeder for one of the varieties of habanero pepper they are developing, Capsicum chinense , registered under the name of Kisín (which means “ devil ” in Mayan).

The head of the Seed Producing Unit of the CICY, Eduardo Balam Uc , detailed that in the plants' area the title of breeder is equivalent to a patent for technological developments or inventions.

This title also grants intellectual property rights to the natural and legal persons who contributed to the generation of new knowledge.

Nancy Santana Buzzy

, researcher at the Unity of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of Plants of the CICY, explained that she was in charge, along with Adriana Canto Flick and Susana Alejandra Avilés Viña , of the research work and experiments to select, validate and register this variety of habanero pepper.

In addition, this work allowed them to obtain the title from the National Service of Inspection and Certification of Seeds (SNICS).

“The title of breeder gives the CICY the possibility of exploiting the rights of the variety of habanero pepper Kisín for 18 years , in accordance with the Federal Law of Vegetable Varieties ,” they asserted.

CICY’s variety of habanero pepper Kisín is characterized by having a fruit with a red color when ripe, and a soft green color when unripe; a weight of 13.81 grams ; three loculi; and is very spicy ( 670,325 in the Scoville scale ).

The performance of the plant is of 3.67 kg , and per its characteristics, the use of Kisín is preferred in the industry and for exportation .

Balam Uc highlighted that three out of ten CICY’s registered varieties of habanero pepper have the title of breeder: Mayan Ek, Mayan K´iin , and the most recent one, Kisín .

However, he declared, they will continue working to get the same register for the rest of the varieties of habanero pepper that have been developed in the CICY, one of the biggest research centers in Yucatán .