Functional Characteristics and Molecular Identification of Interspecific Hybrids from Genus Capsicum

The taxonomy of the genus Capsicum has distinguished more than twenty species of peppers with only C. annuum L. being a vegetable of economic importance. The remaining species can, however, be used in breeding via interspecies hybridization as a source of valuable functional traits. The aim of the study was to obtain interspecific hybrids of peppers with increased agronomic potential and their molecular identification. Based on their agromorphological characteristics, the obtained hybrids (‘Anchi’ × C. frutescens L.)F1 and (‘Anchi’ × C. baccatum var. pendulum)F1 formed fruits that had the combined functional traits typical of the cultivar ‘Anchi’, with a high content of soluble solids, and the wild species, with dry matter. To identify hybrids and their parental forms, the random amplified polymorphic DNA polymerase chain reaction (PCR-RAPD) and inter simple sequence repeat polymerase chain reaction (PCR-ISSR) techniques were used. The polymorphic products obtained in both methods totalled 65% and 59%, respectively, and they allowed for the identification of all tested genotypes, excluded the possibility of self-pollination of ‘Anchi’ plants, and confirmed the hybrid characteristics of the crossbreed (‘Anchi’ × C. frutescens L.)F1.

THE EFFECTS OF STORAGE CONDITIONS ON THE COLOR CHANGES OF LOCALLY PRODUCED CAPSICUM IN OMAN.

Capsicum annuum is a species of the plant genus Capsicum. It is also known as Bell Peppers and is the most commonly grown member of the genus o in Oman. The objective of this study is to assess the impact of factors like storage temperature C, Relative humidity (%), and time (days) on the color of locally produced Capsicum products in Oman, and thereby assessing the impact of storage conditions on freshness and nutritional value of food samples. Eight capsicum samples grown in Oman were selected for this study. The samples were stored in different conditions and over a period of 5 days, their color measurements were taken. A spectrophotometer was used for color measurements. The study showed the variation in o color measurements due to storage temperature C and humidity(%). The color measurements are an indicator of the nutritional quality and overall o freshness of the sample. The study showed that the optimum temperature for storing capsicum is -18 C. The study provided information about optimum storage conditions for the preservation of capsicum. The study could be directed to assess the impact of storage temperature on the amount of phytochemicals and health. Furthermore, it could also be directed to assess the impact of vacuum drying powders on the functional compounds in colored capsicum

Genus Capsicum L. and Diseases of Sweet and Hot Peppers (Review)

This paper reviews taxonomy, importance and diseases of pepper plants belonging to Capsicum genus. Five species of the genus are domesticated, Capsicum annuum being the most cultivated species followed by C. chinense and C. frutescens while C. baccatum and C. pubescens are grown in limited areas of some regions. Review of the available literature data has shown that more than 122 species of microorganisms can cause pepper diseases, including >58 species of fungi, 11 oomycetes, 15 bacteria, 32 viruses, > 6 species of nematodes, and some higher parasitic plants. From these 18 species of fungi, 2 oomycetes, one bacterium, two viruses, one root-knot nematode, two species of each of dodder and broomrape have been recorded in Uzbekistan. However, all of these organisms but one powdery mildew fungus has been registered on other than pepper plants. Previously the authors of the current paper have found that deadly crown rot of both sweet and hot peppers caused by Fusarium oxysporum (supposedly f. sp. radici-capsici) occurred widely in six districts of Uzbekistan.

Heavy Metals Presence in the Soil and Their Content in Selected Varieties of Chili Peppers in Slovakia

Capsicum chili peppers are popular vegetables in Slovakia. They provide a supply of health-promoting substances, but contaminated vegetables can pose a serious health risk to the people who consume them. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the content of heavy metals (Mn, Zn, Cr, Cu, Ni, Cd, Pb and Hg) in the soil as well as in selected varieties of the genus Capsicum grown in southern Slovakia. The results were compared with the limit values given by the Law no. 220/2004 (valid in the SR) as well as threshold values proposed by the European Commission (EC) (2006). The gained result showed that the total content of Cd (1.64 mg/kg) as well as the available mobile forms of Cd (0.12 mg/kg) and Pb (0.26 mg/kg) was exceeded on the soil on which Capsicum cultivars were grown. The limit values of other monitored heavy metals (Mn, Zn, Cr, Cu, Ni, and Hg) were not exceeded. The studied species of the genus Capsicum did not accumulate monitored heavy metals. It can be stated that consumption of chili peppers does not pose any risk for human health.

Multidimensional scaling for divergence analysis in pepper

Pepper plants of the genus Capsicum present wide genetic variability for phenotypical characters. The joint analysis of quantitative and qualitative characters is a more complete indicator to identify the existing variability in populations of plants. This work aimed to evaluate the genetic divergence within F3 populations of Capsicum annuum L. through the multidimensional scaling based on the joint analysis of quantitative and qualitative data. The work was developed in at the Center of Agrarian Sciences of the Federal University of Paraíba, state of Paraíba, Brazil. Eight populations of an F3 generation were employed, performing the characterization of 36 qualitative and quantitative characteristics. The experimental design was in randomized blocks, with eight treatments and 50 replications. The non-metric multidimensional scaling (nMDS) was performed based on Gower’s dissimilarity matrixes. Dispersion diagrams were built to present the nMDS solutions in the bidimensional space. The nMDS mapping was efficient on estimating divergence within populations with Kruskal’s Stress below 20%. The internal uniformity presented by populations P-4, P-5, P-6, P-7, and P-8 is an indicator that the genotypes of these populations are suitable to be used in future genetic breeding programs of ornamental peppers. Conversely, populations P-1, P-2, and P-3 presented the greatest dispersion, characterizing phenotypical variability. The multidimensional scaling was efficient to estimate the genetic divergence among and within F3 populations of ornamental pepper

Transcriptomic Profiling of Fruits from Pepper (Capsicum annuum L.), Variety Padrón (Mild Hot), at Two Ripening States

Pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) fruits are one of the most consumed vegetables worldwide. This produce has a great agro-economical relevance, since it is extensively cultivated. These fruits are characterized by their high content of vitamins C and A [1]. Capsicum annuum has many varieties, whose fruits differ in size, shape, color, and pungency, this last characteristic being due to the presence, in different degrees, of capsaicinoids and alkaloids, which are exclusive to the genus Capsicum [2]. The present study focuses on the transcriptomic profiling of an autochthonous Spanish variety called “Padrón” (mild hot) [3]. Pepper “Padrón” plants were grown in farms under the local conditions (42°44′05″ N 8°37′42″ W), and fruits at both green and red ripe ripening stages were collected. The transcriptome profiling was carried out in both types of fruits by RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) using the NextSeq550 system (Illumina®) [4,5]. RNA-seq analysis revealed that the expression of more than half of the 17,499 identified transcripts was modulated during ripening. Comparing to green fruits, 5626 and 5241 genes were up- and down-regulated, respectively, in red fruits. These differentially expressed genes (DEGs) have been analyzed to determine the functional categories that orchestrate the ripening process at the genetic level of this non-climacteric fruit.

Fertilization Management Improves the Yield and Capsaicinoid Content of Chili Peppers

Chili, one of the most cultivated plants in the world, from the genus Capsicum sp., has great importance both in human nutrition and in the pharmaceutical industry. This study provides detailed information on the impact of chili crop fertilization on the production and accumulation of capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin. During the vegetation period, 235 kg∙ha−1 NPK (chemical—Ch), 270 kg∙ha−1 NPK (organic—O) and 250 kg∙ha−1 NPK (mixed—Ch + O) fertilizers were applied on six varieties of chili pepper (De Cayenne, Traian 2, Turkish, Sigaretta di Bergamo, Jovial and Chorbadjiiski); all versions were compared with the control (Ct). The determination of capsaicinoid compounds from chili pepper samples was done using high-performance liquid chromatography, HPLC-UV/VIS. The chili pepper plants reacted differently according to the fertilizers used, both in terms of the production and accumulation of capsaicinoids. The highest production was obtained for the case of mixed treatments in all cultivars, with the highest production being found for Sigaretta di Bergamo (40.61 t∙ha−1). The capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin content was influenced by both the type of fertilizer used and the variety of chili pepper. The accumulation of capsaicinoids in the chili fruits was found to be dependent on cultivar and fertilization management; higher amounts of capsaicinoids were found to accumulate in the fruits of the Chorbadjiiski variety treated with chemicals (0.83 mg∙g−1 capsaicin and 0.53 mg∙g−1 dihydrocapsaicin) compared with the amounts found for untreated De Cayenne (0.52 mg∙g−1 capsaicin and 0.33 mg∙g−1 dihydrocapsaicin).

The Effect of Chilli Extract on Gastroprotective Function in Male

Chilli is one of plant from genus Capsicum and as vegetable commodities most consumed by the Indonesian people. Chilli contains a unique compound called capsaicin which gives a burning sensation like burning when consumed. This research aims to determine the effect of chilli extract on gastroprotection in the stomach of mice. The study used 35 white male rats were divided into seven groups, one group as the control group, and six groups were given extracts from three varieties of chilli (red chilli, green chilli, and chilli) with high doses (1 g / kg bb) and low doses (0.5 g / kg bb) for 14 days. On the 15th day, gastric decapitation and isolation were carried out to make histological preparations of the rat's stomach. The results showed mucosal tissue in the stomach of rats given a dose of 0.5 g/kg BW remained in normal condition compared to the group of rats given high doses of chilli. In this group, a lot of damage to the gastric mucosal tissue of rats (ulcers). This study concludes that consuming 0.5 g/kg BW chilli does not cause damage to the gastric mucosal tissue of rats.Keywords: Chilli, Gastric mucose, Gastroprotective

Correlation Analysis of High-Throughput Fruit Phenomics and Biochemical Profiles in Native Peppers (Capsicum spp.) from the Primary Center of Diversification

The main goal of this work was to investigate the relationship between the fruit morphology and biochemical composition of peppers (Capsicum spp.). For that purpose, one hundred native varieties from the Andean region, where the genus Capsicum has its origin, were analysed for different phytochemical compounds. In addition, pepper fruits were assessed with the highly precise phenomics tool Tomato Analyzer. The collection showed a broad variability which was more evident within the C. annuum group. On average, C. frutescens accessions displayed the highest levels of solid soluble content, pH, polyphenols and antioxidant activity. The Tomato Analyzer descriptors under the categories of size, shape index, and latitudinal section, mostly contributed to the variance among Capsicum groups. C. annuum hold the larger fruits, whereas C. frutescens comprised fruits of smaller sizes. The correlation analysis revealed that biochemical traits were negatively correlated with the fruit parameters related to size, suggesting that huger fruits contain lower amounts of chemical metabolites. The multivariate approximations demonstrated that Andean peppers assorted according to morphometric and colorimetric characteristics, but independently of their species or geographical origin. Groups of valuable native varieties carrying promising traits were identified.

Aplikasi Dosis Pupuk Kandang Ayam dan Macam Varietas Terhadap Pertumbuhan Produktivitas tanaman Cabai Merah (Capsicum annum L.)

Cabai atau Lombok (Bahasa jawa) adalah sayuran buah semusim yang termasuk dalam anggota genus capsicum yang banyak diperlukan oleh sebagai penyadap rasa masakan. Salah satu tanaman cabai yang banyak dibudidayakan di Indonesia adalah tanaman cabai merah. Tanam cabai banayak berbagai macam masalah diantaranya : teknis budidaya, kebutuhan hara, serangan hama dan penyakit yang di alami pada cabai. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui pengaruh macam dosis pupuk kandang ayam dan macam varietas cabai merah (Capsium annum L.) Hipotesa yang diajukan adalah, diduga ada interaksi antara macam dosis pupuk kandang dengan macam varietas terhadap pertumbuhan dan hasil tanaman cabai merah, Varietas Horison dengan dosis pupuk kandang ayam 5,9 kg/ha di duga dapat memaksimalkan pertumbuhan dan hasil yang optimal. Penelitian ini di laksanakan di Desa Brangsi Kecamatan Laren Kabupaten Lamongan. Dengan curah hujan 2000 dengan ketinggian dari permukaan laut 3 m diatas permukaan laut. Pelaksanaan bulan april sampai juni 2020. Rancangan yang digunakan adalah Rancangan Acak Kelompok (RAK) faktorial dengan 2 faktor yaitu macam dosis pupuk kandang ayam dan macam varietas. Faktor macam dosis pupuk kandang ayam ada 3 level yaitu (J1) Tanpa dosis (J2) Dosis 5,9 kg (J3) dosis 10,5 Kg. Faktor macam varietas (P1) vaietas gada mk (P2) varietas Horison (P3) varietas Arimbi. Dengan demikian terdapat 9 kombinasi perlakuan dan masing-masing di ulangi 3 kali. Hasil penelitian menunjukan bahwa terjadi interaksi antara perlakuan macam dosis pupuk kandang dan macam varietas terhadap parameter tinggi tanaman, besar batang, jumlah buah, berat buah terjadi interaksi. Pada parameter tertinggi ditunjukan oleh P2J2 (dosis pupuk kandang ayam 5,9 kg dan varietas Horison).