In Bowen, north Queensland, research agronomist and plant breeder Levon Cookson has spent the past five years breeding a brand new 'chocolate' capsicum. These are chocolate-colored, not chocolate-flavored, of course.
Cookson: "They're taking the traditional capsicum and making it twice as sweet… I'm hoping it actually gets more people who don't eat them to have a go."
Twenty-five years ago, on Bob and Janelle Martin's farm in Queensland's Glass House Mountains, an out-of-season custard apple appeared on a single branch of a single tree. Exploring this variety, they went on cultivating the PinksBlush custard apple, which, unlike the two main varieties that have predominantly green skins, ripens with a rosy pink hue. This variety provides a colorful contrast to standard green custard apples.
The Queensland Department of Agriculture and Custard Apples Australia have spent decades breeding for pink and red-skinned varieties and have edged closer to commercial releases after a long and difficult road paved with misfires and mutants.
Source: abc.net.au