Why does New Mexico grow so much Chile?
New Mexicans consume more Chile per capita than any other group in the United States. It is an essential ingredient of “Mexican or Southwestern food,” the fastest growing food sector in the United States. New Mexico has an optimum climate for growing pungent Chile with low annual precipitation, irrigation is essential and increases pungency. Too much water, however, can encourage diseases and the fruit will be less pungent. The high desert climate provides a high intensity of sunlight, warm days, cool nights and daily breezes, which help to dry the plants after a rain or morning dew. Several hundred varieties of chiles are grown in New Mexico, including New Mexican (green and red), cayenne, and jalapeño. Why is Chile hot? It is believed that the Chile evolved pungency to discourage mammals from eating the fruits because their digestive systems destroy the seeds, preventing the spread of the plant. Birds, the natural agents of dispersal of chiles, do not feel the heat, and thus dissemin
