Chiles can only be planted once a year in Guizhou, so to shorten the time needed to breed new varieties. Tian and his fellow scientists have split their time between Hainan, where the climate is much warmer, and Guizhou for the past decade to speed up the process.

"Good seeds grow well with good planting, so training farmers is also critical to ensuring good yields," Tian said, explaining another important part of his work.

Data shows that in 2020, Guizhou produced 7.24 million tons of chiles valued at over 24 billion yuan.

"We will focus on developing new varieties, improving quality, brand-making and standardizing manufacturing centers," said Bu Tao, deputy director and spokesman for Guizhou's Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs at a news conference on the Chile Expo held in Guizhou last year.

Zhao Yandi contributed to this story.