Potential of Open-Pollinated Varieties (OPVs) in Chilli Crop Breeding—A Review

The research for crop improvement is a continuous process that enhances plant quality, yield, and ameliorates their adaptability to changing climatic conditions. Chilli is cultivated worldwide as a vegetable, spice, or natural colour additive and is an economically and medicinally important crop. A basic requirement for crop improvement in breeding programmes is the presence of genetic diversity within the crop. Smallholder farmers of chilli usually face challenges in acquiring commercial hybrid seeds because of their high cost and the need for annual purchases. Open-pollinated varieties (OPVs) can serve as a sustainable alternative that provides broader genetic variability, allowing adaptation to local growing conditions, and enabling farmers to save seeds for successive planting season. These characteristics make OPVs economically viable and valuable genetic resources for future chilli cultivation and breeding programmes. This review highlights the potential of OPVs in promoting sustainable chilli cultivation, enhancing genetic diversity, and supporting breeding to develop resilient and economically viable cultivars.