Jaffna Kochchi Miris (Capsicum frutescens): Scoville heat units and limestone soil chemistry?

Jaffna Kochchi Miris (Capsicum frutescens) is a fiery bird’s-eye chili variety measuring between 100,000 and 250,000 Scoville Heat Units (SHU). Grown in the arid northern dry zone, its extreme heat is driven by environmental stress and soil geochemistry. The calcic red-yellow latosols and underlying Miocene limestone provide abundant calcium and potassium with high soil pH (7.5 to 8.2). Minimal rainfall paired with intense solar radiation induces defensive biochemical stress in the plant, accelerating capsaicinoid synthesis inside the placenta tissue of the small, upright conical pods to deter seed predators.