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Abstract: BACKGROUND: Cultivated pepper is a rich source of diverse bioactive compounds with potential properties related to the prevention of major degenerative and proliferative diseases. In the present study, 15 sweet pepper varieties, highly appreciated on the Italian market, were assessed for variation in the content of ascorbic acid, isoprenoids and flavonoids, as well as morpho‐agronomic performances and molecular diversity. RESULTS: The collection under study showed a wide variability for all traits considered. Traditional cultivars, although less productive, were characterized by a high content of β‐carotene and ascorbic acid, reaching maximum concentrations of 230.5 mg kg–1 fresh weight (fw) and 2750 mg kg–1 fw, respectively. Strong correlations were demonstrated between neoxanthin and luteolins. Fruit weight was positively correlated with α‐tocopherol content and negatively correlated with luteolins content. The genotyping by sequencing platform allowed the identification of 1833 single nucleotide polymorphism, which better defined the relationships among cultivars, based on provenance and improvement rate. CONCLUSIONS: The present study provides an overview of the variability in the expression of fruit nutritional traits in a collection of horn‐shaped pepper cultivars, integrating agronomic and molecular data. The impact for breeding and consumers is discussed. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Landraces are an important resource for crop breeding, due to their resilience and content of quality traits. However, genetic and phenotypic variability needs to be carefully characterized for proper direct and indirect use. In the present study, a multidisciplinary approach was carried out to assess the Italian sweet pepper landrace ‘Friariello’. A total of 18 traditional accessions were compared with five hybrids and two ecotypes with similar fruit typology. Genetic and morpho-agronomic characterization allowed us to distinguish five different group types of ‘Friariello’. Accessions showing two/three lobes at the blossom end of the fruit were found to be the most productive, whereas the genotypes showing one/two lobes at the blossom end were the most homogeneous. A total of 167 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were identified in the collection analysed. Moreover, of the 37 targeted VOCs, 29 showed significant differences in content among the pepper genotypes studied. Of such VOCs related to main flavours described for pepper in the literature, ten were found to be the major determinants of variability among the derived ‘Friariello’ groups. A slightly negative, albeit not significant, correlation was observed between ascorbic acid (AsA) content and agronomic traits, suggesting a better quality for less productive accessions, but also the possibility to improve yield without significantly reducing the AsA levels. The approach used allowed us to define how the different typologies can be used for different breeding purposes, integrating the peculiar properties in order to establish a desirable landrace ideotype. Furthermore, valuable sources for improving quality traits in pepper breeding were identified. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

[Display omitted] • Diversity study of Italian sweet pepper landraces over two years (Y). • Ascorbic acid, organic acids, and isoprenoids were greatly impacted by Y and G x Y. • 124 and 277 volatiles were detected during the 1st and the 2nd year, respectively. • Genomic markers revealed footprints based on origin and typology of landraces. • Geranylacetone, hexanal and linalool as the best candidates for the fruit-flavour. Twenty-eight sweet pepper (C. annuum L.) landraces were grown for two consecutive seasons in a Mediterranean environment and evaluated for a wide range of volatile and non-volatile phytochemicals and agronomic performance parameters. A high genotypic (G) variance effect was found for flavonoids and sugars while vitamin C, organic acids and isoprenoids, showed a variable degree of G, years (Y), and G × Y interaction. Thirty-one targeted volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were found significantly different across varieties in both seasons. Combining targeted and untargeted profiling of VOCs revealed 124 and 277 compounds in the first and the second year, respectively. Fruit weight showed negative correlations with several phytochemical traits, whereas soluble solids were strongly correlated to benzene acetaldehyde in charge of sweet and floral aroma. Genomic data based on 1421 single-nucleotide polymorphism reveal clusters based on origin and fruit type, highlighting factors that driven the selection of the studied landraces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]