b'A mature Carolina Reaper developing on the plant, showing the distinctive shape and surface texture that emerged through years of selective breeding.ENGINEERING EXTREME HEATThe inventor of the Carolina Reaper built a legacy by breeding superhot peppers.By Melissa Shipman,Seed World ContributorHE STARTED WITH five-gallon bucketsarrests got me off that path and I eventu-in the backyard. But now Ed Currie hasally went into the banking industry.stepped into his self-proclaimed role asAt the same time, after years of the mad scientist of the pepper indus- putting his body through the stresses of try with record-breaking, painfully hotaddiction, Curries health was a concern. chili peppers.He ended up in the library research-As the founder and president ofing cultures around the world with low Pucker Butt Pepper Company, Currierates of heart disease and cancer, which acknowledges his love of plant breed- eventually led him to peppers. ing developed in childhood, but it was aHe started learning about breeding winding road to get there. nightshades in 1981 in his back yard. My mother was a master gardenerOver the years, Currie has been involved and we had all kinds of colourful thingsin several different medical studies, in the yard. I learned about cross-pollina- and he is still a believer in their healing tion from her, Currie says. potential. Pucker Butt Pepper Company Founder and But, he didnt go straight to peppersCapsaicinthe compound thatPresident Ed Currie sees superhot peppers as his passion.makes peppers hothas a long his- as a long-term breeding project rooted in By junior high, I was a drug addicttory of medical use for treating pain andgenetics and selection. and alcoholic, Currie says. I read acertain skin conditions, particularly inPhoto: Pucker Butt Pepper Companylot of books about breeding, because Itopical and patch forms. Studies have wanted to breed marijuana and be thealso found potential benefits in other marijuana king of the world. A couple ofapplications, such as neuropathic pain 30 SEEDWORLD.COM/CANADA MARCH 2026'