is the sky the limit?

When it comes to scoville ratings, do you believe that peppers are close to maxing out or that they have only just begun? One day will we see pods that are 5 million and beyond? is it going to take a mad botanist to ever achieve such a thing or just a hobbyist like me experimenting with crossing. thoughts?!?!
 
 
 
 

Short of genetic manipulation or a completely new discovery, I can not imagine a 5 million shu pepper.  People like to say the hottest is 2.2 million, but from what I understand that is a very rare peak.  Seems like virtually all of the peppers we consider the hottest average between a 1 and 1.5 million.  I can not imagine combining peppers like that to create something three or four times as hot.  Just doesnt seem the dna is there.

Instead, what I see are small steps that I think have more to do with how the tested batch are grown.

i agree ajdrew, thats why i threw in the mad botanist remark

I get the impression that capsaicin, once produced, is stable, and that it slowly accumulates inside the maturing fruit.  What if breeders started with a reasonably hot variety, and then selected for earliest production rather than outright heat.  After a few generations, they'd hopefully have a pepper that cranked cap from the moment the fruit began to set.  Now cross this with a super hot tuned for maximum rate of cap production and see if you get lucky...

^^mad botanist right there 

I'd think that the earlier something started producing the earlier the pods would rot.  I know there is at least one thing hotter than the hottest pepper.  Can not remember what it it.  Maybe a cactus.

ajdrew said:

I'd think that the earlier something started producing the earlier the pods would rot.  I know there is at least one thing hotter than the hottest pepper.  Can not remember what it it.  Maybe a cactus.

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Not if the hormones that control cap production are separate from those that cause ripening...
Or maybe they are one and the same, in which case we'll likely need a proper "DNA Mad Scientist" to find a breakthrough.

FROG DOG said:

^^mad botanist right there 

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Pfft! A little selective breeding never hurt anything! 

Now wondering about pepper doping.  If you knew of something that retarded ripening long enough, might work but seems like doping an athlete.  Doesnt seem to be much discussion on retarding ripening other than after picked so they last longer.  On the plant, seems most people want to speed it up. 

Wonder if light cycle could change things up.  Damn it, this is now going to be stuck in my head.,

One can't forget to take into account the environmental /growing conditions & their effect on the potential end result of the produced fruit. A clone from a certain plant can produce a variance of the wanted characteristics (here being chemical/alkaloidal - Capsaicin & its friends) from the same clone grown under differing conditions. Said clone that has been continually stressed (water deprived/heat/wind/etc..) will usually (it's generally believed) contain more heat/capsaicin's than one under 'edenic' conditions. This is especially true with any plants where the desired compounds are produced/released as 'defensive' mechanisms! More stress = more of the good stuff!! Some believe that peppers produce heat as a defensive mechanism- don't think this has been proven conclusively however. I saw a video about the UK breeder of the hottest peppers over there (Katie & Lucy) where he ripped at leaves, hit and scratched the stems & even screamed at the plants! Stressfull! Old timey' outdoor Cannabis growers swear by such- like driving a nail/stake through the stem before harvest (to produce more 'crystals'... trichomes). I would love to know of/read a study done on environmental factors specifically related to our hot little friends - haven't really looked.
 
Many other factors affect the production/outcome of producing more heat- nutritional for one! Don't know of a detailed study of this either- could be very long/extremely detailed. For example- say the application of added Nitrogen in the 1st, 2nd, or 3rd week of growth might affect the end result in a positive or detrimental way. But them how much of whatever additives (their concentration- what's ideal?). TONS of variables- essentially trying to find the perfect grow out plan! Big companies spend decades & millions on research and determining all these factors (thinking of like big Pharma- say, opium production in Tasmania....read a study where if you add phosphorus at certain weeks growth, or supplement with other things- plants can switch from higher concentraions of Morphine & vice versa to Codeine, etc..) Plant manipulation by natural/nutritive/environmental means!
 
All is waaay to complicated for just simple home/hobby growers (IMO). Personally only really care about how to produce good & beautiful results...now if your chasing the record books... then yeah, go all out. Go get a PHD at the Chili Pepper Institute! 
 
I just like em hot (& REALLY HOT!!) & tasty! 

Never underestimate the human spirit. Empires have come from humble beginnings. Even a plummer in New Jersey can come up with a world record pepper.....

i'm just asking if its possible?  the red savina was the record holder not too long ago, now look where we are.

I'd say it's certainly possible - heard a quote on TV the other day- 'If we (meaning humans/humanity) put our mind to something... decide to do it - We DO IT!' So like robbyjoe01 said above, don't underestimate the human spirit & its drive to accomplish something when it's fully dedicated!
 
Just a note- an interesting 'tidbit' (have no idea if true... hard to tell if it was written in jest, sarcasm or actual reality). But... I did once read a discussion about world records, hottest pods & one being said that it actually consumed (or had consumed) its own flesh from excessive Capsaicin production (or perhaps something produced in the pepper that was highly acidic). Said that many pods after ripeness would just begin to 'eat themselves!'. Now THAT would be hot!!!