Black pepper could be Guam's next big crop and the University of Guam is planting the seeds.

UOG and the Guam Department of Agriculture are teaming up to host a Black Pepper production forum on Saturday, June 21, from 8:30 a.m. to noon on campus.

The forum will introduce local growers to piper nigrum, a tropical vine that produces the famous black peppercorn, one of the most widely used spices in the world.

While Guam has yet to grow black pepper commercially, its success in Pohnpei, once renowned for world-class peppercorns, inspired UOG researchers to bring the plant here.

Guest speaker Dr. Murukesan Krishnapillai from the College of Micronesia–FSM will lead the session, sharing expertise on propagation, planting, and care.

Registration is free and limited to the first 35 participants, with the first 20 to arrive receiving a black pepper plant to take home.

There is no cost to attend.

Growers interested in learning more about black pepper cultivation can register for the forum at https://tinyurl.com/UOGblackpepper.