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An exploration study found that 4 out of 11 predominant predator species of Bemisia tabaci in Indonesia belong to Order Coleoptera, family Coccinellidae, i.e., Menochilus sexmaculatus, Coccinella transversalis, Verania lineata, and Curinus coeruleus. The current study was conducted to further determine the most effective predator species among those coccinellids. The evaluation included three consecutive assays, i.e., predation, preference, and functional response assay. The experiments were conducted in 2019 under controlled conditions in West Java. Predation assay using B. tabaci as the prey showed that M. sexmaculatus, C. transversalis, and V. lineata had comparable predation capacity to consume 46-48 nymphs d-1 or 9 adults d-1, and the V. lineata preference to B. tabaci was higher compared to other predators. Further logistic regression analysis (linear coefficient P1 = -0.1006, X2 = 34.99) showed that V. lineata had type II functional response characteristics. The analysis using the Hollings disc equation for type II functional response (R2 = 0.9239) suggested that the searching rate (a) and the handling time (Th) of V. lineata to B. tabaci nymphs were 0.3522 h-1 and 0.151 h, respectively. These results indicate that V. lineata could be considered in pest management strategies and effectively regulate populations of B. tabaci in Indonesia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Leveillula taurica is an obligate pathogen that causes powdery mildew on chili pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) which is considered one of the most serious diseases for the crop. Results: Leveillula taurica was isolated from infected pepper plants in Assiut Governorate, Egypt. Pathogenicity test was performed, and it was found that the pathogen can cause the symptoms of powdery mildew on the pepper plant. Under greenhouse conditions, treatment with Bacillus thuringiensis MW740161.1, Pseudomonas fluorescens, and Bacillus subtilis cultures resulted in a significant reduction in conidial germination of the pathogen (69.07, 29.55, and 19.58%, respectively). Spraying chili pepper plants with the microorganisms effectively reduced the powdery mildew's disease severity. Also, treatment with the bacterial strains resulted in a significant (P 0.05%) increase in the yield of chili pepper. Based on the findings, it appears that the use of B. thuringiensis, as foliar spraying, significantly induced resistance of chili pepper plants against L. taurica and stimulated many biochemical functions in the plant. Also, it increased the crop yield compared to all other treatments. Conclusions: This study recommends B. thuringiensis as a viable alternative to harmful pesticides, and it is feasible to formulate an appropriate fungicide for the sustainable green production of chili peppers. The B. thuringiensis can increase the resistance of chili pepper plant to L. taurica the causal pathogen of powdery mildew. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Capsicum chinense Jacq., believed to have been domesticated 1000–2000 BC, is indigenous to tropical South America and the Caribbean and the most important pepper species grown in the Caribbean. Despite its economic importance, the low productivity of landraces grown in the Caribbean affects its profitability. The objective of the study was to understand the interrelationships between yield and its components in C. chinense towards developing selection criteria for improving yield. Two field experiments, first involving a diversity set of 86 accessions and the second with a subset of 22 promising accessions were carried out in a randomised complete block design with three replications each, and were evaluated for yield as well as 6 yield components (fruit number, clusters per plant, fruits per cluster, average fruit weight, flowers per node and reproductive efficiency) and three partitioning components (total dry weight, shoot dry weight and harvest index). Path coefficient analyses indicated that the important yield attributing characters to be fruit number (or clusters per plant) and average fruit weight whilst principal component analysis revealed the importance of average fruit weight, clusters per plant and harvest index. A restricted selection index involving three yield components is recommended for improving yield in hot pepper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the increase in awareness about the ill effects of the indiscriminate use of synthetic chemicals in agriculture, the demand for safe and residue free food is increasing. In the present study, we evaluated aqueous extracts of willow (Salix alba L.) and cherry plum (Prunus cerasifera f. rosaceae) at different concentrations (5, 10, 15 and 20%) under in vitro conditions using poisoned food technique for their efficacy against Fusarium pallidoroseum causing wilt disease of chilli. The efficacy of the extracts was compared with synthetic fungicide, carbendazim 50 WP, which at 0.05% concentration resulted in 100% inhibition. Both the tested botanical extracts significantly inhibited mycelial growth at all the test concentrations with 100 per cent inhibition at 20% concentration. The present study showed that both the botanicals have the potential to be used against F. pallidoroseum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As sequencing costs decrease and availability of high fidelity long-read sequencing increases, generating experiment specific de novo genome assemblies becomes feasible. In many crop species, obtaining the genome of a hybrid or heterozygous individual is necessary for systems that do not tolerate inbreeding or for investigating important biological questions, such as hybrid vigor. However, most genome assembly methods that have been used in plants result in a merged single sequence representation that is not a true biologically accurate representation of either haplotype within a diploid individual. The resulting genome assembly is often fragmented and exhibits a mosaic of the two haplotypes, referred to as haplotype-switching. Important haplotype level information, such as causal mutations and structural variation is therefore lost causing difficulties in interpreting downstream analyses. To overcome this challenge, we have applied a method developed for animal genome assembly called trio-binning to an intra-specific hybrid of chili pepper (Capsicum annuum L. cv. HDA149 x Capsicum annuum L. cv. HDA330). We tested all currently available softwares for performing trio-binning, combined with multiple scaffolding technologies including Bionano to determine the optimal method of producing the best haplotype-resolved assembly. Ultimately, we produced highly contiguous biologically true haplotype-resolved genome assemblies for each parent, with scaffold N50s of 266.0 Mb and 281.3 Mb, with 99.6% and 99.8% positioned into chromosomes respectively. The assemblies captured 3.10 Gb and 3.12 Gb of the estimated 3.5 Gb chili pepper genome size. These assemblies represent the complete genome structure of the intraspecific hybrid, as well as the two parental genomes, and show measurable improvements over the currently available reference genomes. Our manuscript provides a valuable guide on how to apply trio-binning to other plant genomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Domestication is an ongoing well‐described process. However, while many have studied the changes domestication causes in plant genetics, few have explored its impact on the portion of the geographic landscape in which the plants exist. Therefore, the goal of this study was to understand how the process of domestication changed the geographic space suitable for chile pepper (Capsicum annuum) in its center of origin (domestication). C. annuum is a major crop species globally whose center of domestication, Mexico, has been well‐studied. It provides a unique opportunity to explore the degree to which ranges of different domestication classes diverged and how these ranges might be altered by climate change. To this end, we created ecological niche models for four domestication classes (wild, semiwild, landrace, modern cultivar) based on present climate and future climate scenarios for 2050, 2070, and 2090. Considering present environment, we found substantial overlap in the geographic niches of all the domestication classes. Yet, environmental and geographic aspects of the current ranges did vary among classes. Wild and commercial varieties could grow in desert conditions, while landraces could not. With projections into the future, habitat was lost asymmetrically, with wild, semiwild, and landraces at greater risk of territorial declines than modern cultivars. Further, we identified areas where future suitability overlap between landraces and wilds is expected to be lost. While range expansion is widely associated with domestication, we found little support of a constant niche expansion (either in environmental or geographical space) throughout the domestication gradient in chile peppers in Mexico. Instead, particular domestication transitions resulted in loss, followed by capturing or recapturing environmental or geographic space. The differences in environmental characterization among domestication gradient classes and their future potential range shifts increase the need for conservation efforts to preserve landraces and semiwild genotypes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hot peppers, also called chilli, chilli pepper, or paprika of the plant genus Capsicum (family Solanaceae), are one of the most used vegetables and spices worldwide. Capsaicin (8-methyl N-vanillyl-6-noneamide) is the main pungent principle of hot green and red peppers. By acting on the capsaicin receptor or transient receptor potential cation channel vanilloid subfamily member 1 (TRPV1), capsaicin selectively stimulates and in high doses defunctionalizes capsaicin-sensitive chemonociceptors with C and Aδ afferent fibers. This channel, which is involved in a wide range of neuronal processes, is expressed in peripheral and central branches of capsaicin-sensitive nociceptive neurons, sensory ganglia, the spinal cord, and different brain regions in neuronal cell bodies, dendrites, astrocytes, and pericytes. Several experimental and clinical studies provided evidence that capsaicin protected against ischaemic or excitotoxic cerebral neuronal injury and may lower the risk of cerebral stroke. By preventing neuronal death, memory impairment and inhibiting the amyloidogenic process, capsaicin may also be beneficial in neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson's or Alzheimer's diseases. Capsaicin given in systemic inflammation/sepsis exerted beneficial antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects while defunctionalization of capsaicin-sensitive vagal afferents has been demonstrated to increase brain oxidative stress. Capsaicin may act in the periphery via the vagal sensory fibers expressing TRPV1 receptors to reduce immune oxidative and inflammatory signalling to the brain. Capsaicin given in small doses has also been reported to inhibit the experimentally-induced epileptic seizures. The aim of this review is to provide a concise account on the most recent findings related to this topic. We attempted to delineate such mechanisms by which capsaicin exerts its neuronal protective effects. We also aimed to provide the reader with the current knowledge on the mechanism of action of capsaicin on sensory receptors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of preventive administration of a single intraperitoneal dose of dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) at various concentrations (10, 30 and 50%; 10 mL/kg) on the nociceptive response in mice induced by local and systemic activation of TRPV1 ion channels by the TRPV1 agonist capsaicin was studied. DMSO (50%) significantly reduced (by 73.1%) the latency of the response to injection of capsaicin solution into the metatarsus. DMSO in the tail-flick test did not significantly affect the thermal pain threshold, which was elevated after a single subcutaneous injection (above the shoulder blades) of capsaicin at a dose of 1 mg/kg. However, DMSO (30 and 50%) per se raised the pain threshold of mice in the tail-flick test. Because externally applied DMSO enhanced the effect of capsaicin in the capsaicin test, the demonstrated analgesic effect of a single intraperitoneal injection of DMSO in the capsaicin test and tail-flick test in mice was due to its central action rather than to its effect on afferent innervation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The addition of chitosan to soil has been shown to promote plant development, although its actions on the soil and the plants remain unclear. Chili (Capsicum annum L.) seedlings were grown in a greenhouse (20–33°C, 65%–70% RH) on a substrate (topsoil, rice husk charcoal, and coconut coir) at a ratio of 2:1:1 (v/v) amended with 0%, 1%, or 10% (w/w) chitosan powder. Shoot and root dry weights of chili seedlings grown in a substrate containing 1% chitosan exhibited a 2.5-fold and 1.6-fold increase compared to those in 0% and 10% chitosan treatments, respectively. Leaf chlorophyll content was 2.7-fold higher at 20 days after transplanting. Chitosan at 1% improved the cation exchange capacity (CEC), substrate organic matter, and plant essential nutrient absorption (P, K, Ca, Mg, Mn, Cu, and Zn). In contrast, the substrate added with 10% chitosan had a negative effect on chili seedlings, possibly due to an excess of total available nitrogen (1.54% or 1.6 times higher) and organic matter (30% or 1.6 times higher). Seedlings exhibited leaf chlorosis, poor root development, and fewer essential nutrients in tissues than the control and 1% chitosan treatments. Use of 1% chitosan appears to promote chili growth by improving substrate characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SSR molecular markers were obtained based on abundant transcriptome data under different waterlogging conditions in order to develop appropriate biological tools and explore the molecular mechanism of hot pepper response to waterlogging stress in this experiment. The results were as follows: (1) A total of 128 939 Unigenes were obtained from transcriptome analysis of hot pepper. The total length, average length, and GC content were 55 082 725 bp, 1 101 bp and 40.57%, respectively. Compared with seven major functional databases, 102 123 (NR: 79.20%), 110 157 (NT: 85.43%), 70 203 (SwissProt: 54.45%), 73 539 (KOG: 57.03%), 77 646 (KEGG: 60.22%), 77 442 (GO: 60.06%) and 68 216 (Pfam: 52.91%) Unigenes obtained functional annotations. It was found that lipid metabolism, carbohydrate metabolism, amino acid metabolism, environmental adaptation, secondary metabolite biosynthesis, signal transduction and translation played important roles in the response to waterlogging stress. (2) A total of 26 574 SSR loci were found in 24 889 Unigenes from hot pepper transcriptome data. The frequency of SSR was 20.61%, of which single nucleotide repeat accounted for the highest ratio (37.26%), followed by tri-nucleotide (31.00%) and di-nucleotide (25.44%) repeat types, accounting for 93.70% of the total EST-SSR. The motifs A/T, AG/CT and TC/GA, followed by AT and TA, were the most abundant in mono-nucleotide and di-nucleotide. The most common types of tri-nucleotides were TTG/CAA and ACA/TGT. (3) 10 002 pairs of EST-SSR primers were designed with Primer 3. A total of 30 pairs of primers were randomly selected for amplification test, and all of them were effective. Seven pairs of primers could amplify the target bands in three hot pepper germplasms. To sum up, the motif structure of the most dominant SSR repeat type in hot pepper is basically similar to that of other varieties, and the molecular mechanism of hot pepper waterlogging stress response is preliminarily explored. The EST-SSR markers are developed to provide reference for hot pepper waterlogging-tolerant genetics breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vanilloids such as capsaicin and resiniferatoxin are highly selective and potent activators for transient receptor potential vanilloid subfamily, member 1, a nociceptor for heat and pain perception. However, the intrinsic vanilloid binding affinity, key for understanding transient receptor potential vanilloid subfamily, member 1 function, remains unknown despite intensive investigations by electrophysiological, structural, and computational methods. In this study, we determined capsaicin binding affinity under physiological conditions by isolating individual binding steps to each subunit with concatemers. We estimated the capsaicin association constant of a wildtype subunit to be in the order of 106 M−1 and that of the Y511A mutant subunit to be a hundred times lower, in the order of 104 M−1. The Y511A mutation, located at the entrance of the vanilloid binding pocket, reduces binding affinity without a noticeable effect on activation gating. We further affirmed that there is little cooperativity between vanilloid binding steps. Models based on independent binding and equally cooperative subunit gating can accurately describe capsaicin activation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fruit rot is among the serious diseases of Capsicum spp. caused by Colletotrichum Species Complex (CSC), which includes mainly Colletotrichum truncatum followed by Colletotrichum siamense, Colletotrichum scovillei, and Colletotrichum coccodes. Worldwide, in subtropical and tropical regions, fungus is reported to cause approximately 50%–100% yield losses. Management of fruit rot is very difficult on account of its complex nature and the involvement of various Colletotrichum spp. Traditionally, cultural, biological, and chemical methods have been applied to control the disease but limited success is achieved when these are used alone; however, in combination, these methods have given success to some extent. Resistant cultivars have also been identified in peppers but are not commercialised yet due to the breakdown of resistance at the field level. Along with conventional breeding, the use of biotechnological techniques such as molecular markers, quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping, gene silencing, and genome editing may prove useful in solving the problem associated with phenotypic selection for disease resistance. Hence, there is a dire need to develop cultivars with durable resistance. Therefore, in this review, efforts have been made to gather information about the pathogen's lifestyle, distribution, detection, conventional disease management methods, and advanced strategies for effective control in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To ensure the risk level of hazardous substances in chili pepper, and analyze the unqualified situation of hazardous substances in chili pepper by combing spatial with temporal perspectives. Finally, by acquiring high- risk substances in chili pepper, and providing suggestions for efficient supervision of chili pepper safety. Methods: To evaluate the risk value of risk substances in chili pepper, the entropy method was used to calculate the risk level, and the 28 principles were used to classify and rank the risk level. In order to conduct spatiotemporal analysis of the risk substances in chili pepper, descriptive statistical methods were used for statistical description to conduct spatiotemporal analysis of the risks. Global and local autocorrelation analysis methods were used to analyze and explore the national spatial distribution patterns of high risk and high-risk substances in chili pepper. Results: Cadmium, lead, chromium, endosulfan, carbofuran and monocrotophos were high-risk substances in chili pepper; the overall change in the failure rate of chili pepper was stable from 2016--2020, and the failure rate of chili pepper in Hubei was the highest among the national provinces, and the failure of chili pepper in sampling places mainly occurs in supermarkets and farmers' markets. Conclusion: The classification results of chili pepper risk substances could improve the efficiency of government supervision, while providing a reference for enterprise self-regulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between fruit position, ripening stage, and variety has not been well studied in pepper plants. To understand the interaction of these factors, a diversity of phytochemical traits as well as antioxidant activity were investigated with agronomic traits in eleven hot pepper varieties collected from the upper and lower parts of the plant and harvested at three maturity stages (green, orange, and red). Capsaicin content (CAP) showed a relatively high genetic effect; on the contrary, total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), and antioxidant activity were more affected by the ripening stage and fruit position. The CAP values ranged from 0.29 ('FKbM') to 0.77 ('Bka') mg CAP equivalents g−1 DW. The ripening stage was the predominant factor for TPC, TFC, DPPH, and FRAP. There was no significant interaction between A × FP, A × RS, and FP × RS for all agro-morphological fruit traits. Variety, fruit position, and ripening stage effects are more significant than all interactions calculated. Lower fruit positions in all samples showed a maximum fruit size, whereas phytochemical traits and yield per plant were relevant in the upper parts, and Phytochemical traits and yield per plant were significantly correlated. From PCA and cluster analysis, all varieties showed the highest biochemical and antioxidant levels with moderate fruit size, except the 'Bel' variety that showed the smallest fruit traits with high yields, and the 'FKbM' and 'FKbK' varieties that showed the highest fruit size but low yields. This study supplies information to identify interesting cultivars with considerable levels of bioactive and phytochemical metabolites, which is useful for breeding programs of novel varieties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research developed a pest detection model for Indonesian red chili pepper based on fine-tuned YOLOv5. Indonesian red chili pepper is the third largest vegetable commodity produced in Indonesia. Pest attacks disrupt the quantity and quality of crop yields. To control pests effectively, it is necessary to detect the type of pest correctly. A viable solution is to leverage computer vision and deep learning technologies. However, no previous studies have developed a pest detection model for Indonesian red chili pepper based on this technology. YOLOv5 is a variant of the YOLO object detection algorithm, which has major advantages in terms of computation cost and execution speed. The dataset comprises 4,994 image files collected from a chili plantation in Bengkulu province, Indonesia, covering 4 different classes and a total of 10,683 pests. The image is 1216 x1216 px with the smallest, largest, and average object dimensions of 2%, 35%, and 4% of the image dimensions. The training model used is fine- tuning YOLOv5s with variations of patience as an early stop parameter of 100, 200, and 300. The evaluation of the trained model is based on train loss, validation loss, and mAP@0.5:0.95, the best-trained model is the 445th epoch on patience 100 with the best confidence value of 0.321 and the highest TF1 of 0.74. From the best-trained model testing on the test dataset, the mAP@0.5 performance for all classes is 81.3%. The model not only detected large pests but was also able to detect objects that were small in size compared to the image size. The best-trained model's best mAP@0.5 performance and speed are 82.6% and 20 ms/image, or 50 fps on NVIDIA P100 GPU. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Improper depositions of organic waste threaten the environment. On the other hand, intensive soil cultivation, inappropriate utilization of inorganic fertilizers, and inadequate soil management practices in the study area resulted in soil fertility reduction and poor crop growth. The addition of organic fertilizers from organic waste (biochar and compost) to soil can be considered an environmental-friendly and climate-smart practice able to improve soil properties and the yield of crops. Thus, this study aimed at evaluating the potential of organic amendment with coffee pulp compost (CPC), coffee pulp biochar (CPB), and their combination (CPC_CPB) on selected soil properties and hot pepper yield. The field experiment was conducted in the 2020 and 2021 growing seasons by adopting a randomized complete block design with a factorial experiment using CPC, CPB, and CPC_CPB treatments in different application rates. Results indicated that, in both years, the maximum dose (4 t/ha) of biochar significantly improved the yield of hot pepper and some soil chemical properties such as pH, OC, TN, P, K, Ca2+, Mg2+ contents, and CEC. When 2021 is compared with the 2020 growing season in terms of hot pepper yield, the treatments 4 CPB, 10 CPC, and 7 CPC_CPB increased the yield by 4.61, 1.62, and 1.55%, respectively. Thus, an application rate of CPB at the rate of 4 t/ha is considered suitable to improve hot pepper yield and soil properties. Therefore, the highest dose of CPB, followed by CPC_CPB and CPC can be considered as suitable to improve both soil fertility and hot pepper yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resiniferatoxin (RTX) is an ultrapotent capsaicin analog with a unique spectrum of pharmacological actions. The therapeutic window of RTX is broad, allowing for the full desensitization of pain perception and neurogenic inflammation without causing unacceptable side effects. Intravesical RTX was shown to restore continence in a subset of patients with idiopathic and neurogenic detrusor overactivity. RTX can also ablate sensory neurons as a "molecular scalpel" to achieve permanent analgesia. This targeted (intrathecal or epidural) RTX therapy holds great promise in cancer pain management. Intra-articular RTX is undergoing clinical trials to treat moderate-to-severe knee pain in patients with osteoarthritis. Similar targeted approaches may be useful in the management of post-operative pain or pain associated with severe burn injuries. The current state of this field is reviewed, from preclinical studies through veterinary medicine to clinical trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rainbow trout (O. mykiss) is rich in proteins and its production is high. Serrano chili peppers (C. annuum L.) contain capsaicinoids that participate in the prevention of different illnesses. The aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of the addition of Serrano chili microcapsules on the physicochemical properties and sensory acceptance of rainbow trout pâté. Pâté with microcapsules had 23.16, 5.94, and 73.07% protein, fat, and moisture content, respectively. Color measurement showed a redness tendency (a* = 7.5 and b* = 22.3) with a luminosity of 78%. During sensory analysis, the pâté was rated positively, indicating a feasible acceptance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salinity stress is one of the most important problems in crop productivity. Plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) can also confer stress tolerance in plants under saline soil conditions. In a previous work, it was reported that bacteria strains isolated from hypersaline sites mitigated salt stress in chili pepper (Capsicum annuum var. Caballero) plants and promoted plant growth in some cases. The aim of this study was to evaluate the modulation of gene expression in C. annuum plants by bacteria strains isolated from saline environments. Two bacteria strains from high salinity ponds in Guerrero Negro, BCS, Mexico (Bacillus sp. strain 32 and Staphylococcus sp. strain 155) and Azospirillum brasilense Cd (DSM 1843) were used. Significant improvement in fresh weight yield (stem (28%), root (128.9%), and leaves (20%)) was observed in plants inoculated with Bacillus sp. strain 32. qPCR analysis showed that both strains modulated the expression of stress-responsive genes (MYB, ETR1, JAR1, WRKY, and LOX2) as well as heat shock factors and protein genes (CahsfA2, CahsfA3, CahsfB3a, CaDNaJ02, and CaDNaJ04). Finally, the expression levels of genes related to early salt stress and ISR showed differences in plants with dual treatment (bacteria-inoculated and salt-stressed) compared to plants with simple salinity stress. This work confirmed the differential modification of the transcriptional levels of genes observed in plants inoculated with bacteria under salinity stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photosynthesis is a crucial process supporting life on Earth. However, unfavorable environmental conditions including toxic metals may limit the photosynthetic efficiency of plants, and the responses to those challenges may vary among genotypes. In this study, we evaluated photosynthetic parameters of the chili pepper varieties Jalapeño, Poblano, and Serrano exposed to Cd (0, 5, 10 µM), Tl (0, 6, 12 nM), and V (0, 0.75, 1.5 µM). Metals were added to the nutrient solution for 60 days. Stomatal conductance (Gs), transpiration rate (Tr), net photosynthetic rate (Pn), intercellular CO2 concentration (Ci), instantaneous carboxylation efficiency (Pn/Ci), instantaneous water use efficiency (instWUE), and intrinsic water use efficiency (iWUE) were recorded. Mean Pn increased with 12 nM Tl in Serrano and with 0.75 µM V in Poblano. Tl and V increased mean Tr in all three cultivars, while Cd reduced it in Jalapeño and Serrano. Gs was reduced in Jalapeño and Poblano with 5 µM Cd, and 0.75 µM V increased it in Serrano. Ci increased in Poblano with 6 nM Tl, while 12 nM Tl reduced it in Serrano. Mean instWUE increased in Poblano with 10 µM Cd and 0.75 µM V, and in Serrano with 12 nM Tl, while 6 nM Tl reduced it in Poblano and Serrano. Mean iWUE increased in Jalapeño and Poblano with 5 µM Cd, in Serrano with 12 nM Tl, and in Jalapeño with 1.5 µM V; it was reduced with 6 nM Tl in Poblano and Serrano. Pn/Ci increased in Serrano with 5 µM Cd, in Jalapeño with 6 nM Tl, and in Poblano with 0.75 µM V. Interestingly, Tl stimulated six and inhibited five of the seven photosynthetic variables measured, while Cd enhanced three and decreased two variables, and V stimulated five variables, with none inhibited, all as compared to the respective controls. We conclude that Cd, Tl, and V may inhibit or stimulate photosynthetic parameters depending on the genotype and the doses applied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coprolites, or mummified feces, are valuable sources of information on ancient cultures as they contain ancient DNA (aDNA). In this study, we analyzed ancient plant DNA isolated from coprolites belonging to two pre-Columbian cultures (Huecoid and Saladoid) from Vieques, Puerto Rico, using shotgun metagenomic sequencing to reconstruct diet and lifestyles. We also analyzed DNA sequences of putative phytopathogenic fungi, likely ingested during food consumption, to further support dietary habits. Our findings show that pre-Columbian Caribbean cultures had a diverse diet consisting of maize (Zea mays), sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas), chili peppers (Capsicum annuum), peanuts (Arachis spp.), papaya (Carica papaya), tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) and, very surprisingly cotton (Gossypium barbadense) and tobacco (Nicotiana sylvestris). Modelling of putative phytopathogenic fungi and plant interactions confirmed the potential consumption of these plants as well as edible fungi, particularly Ustilago spp., which suggest the consumption of maize and huitlacoche. These findings suggest that a variety of dietary, medicinal, and hallucinogenic plants likely played an important role in ancient human subsistence and societal customs. We compared our results with coprolites found in Mexico and the United States, as well as present-day faeces from Mexico, Peru, and the United States. The results suggest that the diet of pre-Columbian cultures resembled that of present-day hunter-gatherers, while agriculturalists exhibited a transitional state in dietary lifestyles between the pre-Columbian cultures and larger scale farmers and United States individuals. Our study highlights differences in dietary patterns related to human lifestyles and provides insight into the flora present in the pre-Columbian Caribbean area. Importantly, data from ancient fecal specimens demonstrate the importance of ancient DNA studies to better understand pre-Columbian populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chili peppers (Solanaceae family) have great commercial value. They are commercialized in natura and used as spices and for ornamental and medicinal purposes. Although three whole genomes have been published, limited information about satellite DNA sequences, their composition, and genomic distribution has been provided. Here, we exploited the noncoding repetitive fraction, represented by satellite sequences, that tends to accumulate in blocks along chromosomes, especially near the chromosome ends of peppers. Two satellite DNA sequences were identified (CDR-1 and CDR-2), characterized and mapped in silico in three Capsicum genomes (C. annuum, C. chinense, and C. baccatum) using data from the published high-coverage sequencing and repeats finding bioinformatic tools. Localization using FISH in the chromosomes of these species and in two others (C. frutescens and C. chacoense), totaling five species, showed signals adjacent to the rDNA sites. A sequence comparison with existing Solanaceae repeats showed that CDR-1 and CDR-2 have different origins but without homology to rDNA sequences. Satellites occupied subterminal chromosomal regions, sometimes collocated with or adjacent to 35S rDNA sequences. Our results expand knowledge about the diversity of subterminal regions of Capsicum chromosomes, showing different amounts and distributions within and between karyotypes. In addition, these sequences may be useful for future phylogenetic studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The numerous benefits and uses of chilies have led to a constant increase in demand as the population of Indonesia grows. Anthracnose is a disease that often affects chili peppers and is caused by the fungus Colletotrichum gloeosporioides. Farmers typically use fungicides to control anthracnose. Common active ingredients applied for anthracnose control include Mancozeb, Chlorothalonil, Propineb, and copper hydroxide. The research was conducted in the village of Ambit, Waled District, Cirebon Regency, West Java Province. The study took place over three months, from July to September 2023. The research method used a Randomized Group Design (RGD) consisting of five treatments with different active fungicide ingredients and a control (without treatment), repeated five times, resulting in 25 experimental plots. The treatments were A (Copper hydroxide active ingredient), B (Mancozeb active ingredient), C (Chlorothalonil active ingredient), D (Propineb active ingredient), E (Control /no fungicide). The fungicide concentration used was 2 ml/liter. The experimental results showed that the various active fungicide treatments had a significant effect on the intensity of anthracnose disease (Colletotrichum gloeosporioides) and other diseases like Pepper yellow leaf curl. The Chlorothalonil active ingredient showed the lowest intensity of disease when compared to the other treatments, even with other active ingredients that were tested. Fungicide treatments had a significant impact on chili yields per plot compared to the control treatment without fungicide. The Chlorothalonil active ingredient treatment yielded higher chili harvest results compared to other treatments, reaching 15.97 kg/plot or 15.97 tons/ha. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hot pepper is one of the most important vegetables and spice crops cultivated in many parts of the world including Ethiopia. The crop is known for its nutritional value and as spice. It's productivity is low due to low availability of soil nutrients. Much research was conducted to investigate the response of pepper to inorganic fertilizers such as DAP and Urea. However, information about the effect of Blended fertilizers such as NPSB and its combination with Urea is scanty. This research was therefore conducted to investigate the response of hot pepper to blended NPSB and urea fertilizer rates at Kobo, North Wollo. Four rates of NPSB (0, 100, 200, and 300 kg ha−1) and four rates of urea (0, 50, 100, and 150 kg ha−1) in factorial combination were laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications. The results revealed that the interaction effect of NPSB and urea was significant on many of the parameters considered. Treatments that received fertilizer combination of 300 kg NPSB ha−1 and 150 kg urea ha−1 gave the tallest plants (79.76 cm) and maximum number of pods per plant (45.50), while Treatments that received fertilizer combination of 200 kg NPSB ha−1 and 150 kg urea ha−1 gave the highest total pod fruit yield (30.08t ha−1) and maximum marketable yield (29.48 t ha−1) in the study area. Application of combined 200 kg ha−1 NPSB and 150 urea kg ha−1is recommended for production of hot pepper at Kobo and similar agroecologies as the highest net benefit (3548.86 US$) with relatively high marginal rate of return (2258.91%) were recorded. However, as the present study was done only in one location for one season, it would be worthwhile to repeat it in order to arrive at a sound conclusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Determining the effects of the refugia plant on the whitefly population and the production of several cultivars of red chili (Capsicum annuum L.) was the focus of research conducted from March to June 2019 in the experimental garden, Faculty of Agriculture, Teuku Umar University, Meulaboh, West Aceh Regency, Indonesia. The genetic materials consisted of three chili genotypes, i.e., cultivar TM-999 and two hybrid cultivars, Lado F1 and Lidia F1. The experiment in a 3 × 2 split plot design had three replications. The factor studied was the presence of a whitefly. The Refugia (R) plants, used as main plots, included R0 = Control, R1 = Zinnia, and R2 = Kenikir. Red chili genotypes comprised the subplots, i.e., V1 = TM-999, V2 = Lado F1, and V3 = Lidia F1. The studied variables were the whitefly population determination, the percentage of attack rate, and the chili production per plot. The results showed that Refugia plants greatly affected the whitefly population, portion of pest attack rates, and chili production per plot. Specifically, the refugia plant highly affected the whitefly population (Refugia kenikir 1.41% compared with control 11.89%), the percentage rate of pest attack (Refugia kenikir 44.44% compared with 100% of check), and production per plot (kenikir 23.59 g compared with the control's 23.07 g). Refugia plants are influential in reducing whitefly development/production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The color of the chili fruit is an important factor that determines the quality of the chili, as red chilies are more popular among consumers. The accumulation of capsanthin is the main cause of reddening of the chili fruit. Capsanthin is an important metabolite in carotenoid metabolism, and its production level is closely linked to the expression of the genes for capsanthin/capsorubin synthase (CCS) and carotenoid hydroxylase (CrtZ). We reported for the first time that the synthesis of capsanthin in chili was enhanced by using a geminivirus (Bean Yellow Dwarf Virus). By expressing heterologous β-carotenoid hydroxylase (CrtZ) and β-carotenoid ketolase (CrtW) using codon optimization, the transcription level of the CCS gene and endogenous CrtZ was directly increased. This leads to the accumulation of a huge amount of capsanthin in a very short period of time. Our results provide a platform for the rapid enhancement of endogenous CCS activity and capsanthin production using geminivirus in plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) holds immense global importance, as it is widely cultivated for its economic value in the food industry and its health benefits. Consequently, substantial breeding progress has been made in cultivar development, whole-genome analysis, and transformation techniques aimed at enhancing agricultural traits, including fruit development and capsaicin synthesis. However, research concerning the phylogenetic relationships within C. annuum remains insufficient. In this study, we characterized the plastome sequences of seven C. annuum, including five hot pepper and two bell pepper cultivars, while also elucidating their phylogenetic relationships. Furthermore, we conducted comparative analyses to gain insight into their evolutionary history. The seven plastomes displayed typical quadripartite structures and ranged from 156,821 to 156,922 bp, displaying highly conserved sequences. In contrast to prior studies, our phylogenomic analyses revealed that C. annuum species did not form a monophyletic group. Each subclade was thought to be related to a different evolutionary history, such as hybridization, domestication from wild ancestors, and artificial selection. Therefore, we were able to discern the relationships among cultivars based on their genetic profiles of plastomes. Our findings also revealed that the Korean landraces Younggo 4, 5, 10, and 11 share the most recent common ancestor with Mexican landrace CM334. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study shows the set of analyses conducted during the development of a hot chili pepper sauce to valorize green peppers usually discarded in the Espelette region (France). A traditional production process was used as the inspiration for product development, and two different fermentation processes were assessed and characterized by measuring pH, sugar content, instrumental color, volatile composition, and conducting sensory (discriminant test) and microbiological analyses (total plate count). Significant differences were observed among pepper mash samples with respect to their physicochemical characteristics, but the products were considered similar from a sensory standpoint. Both sensory and physicochemical tests suggested that the ingredients added to make the sauces were determinant and had a higher impact on the organoleptic profile of the final product than the fermentation process. Finally, a Napping® test was conducted to determine the attributes that could differentiate the product from the hot sauces found in the current market. The results of the present research allowed the optimization of the elaboration process of the new product, saving time and ingredient costs. The procedures shown in the study could be used as an example of a new product development process in which physicochemical and sensory data are collected and used for decision making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spice and its extracts have gained widespread utilization as natural and eco-friendly additives, imparting enhancements in flavor, color, and antioxidative attributes to meat-based products. This work aims to study the effect mechanism of capsaicin (CA) and dihydrocapsaicin (DI) in capsicum (chili pepper) on the structure and function of myofibrillar proteins (MPs) in duck meat during thermal treatment. The results showed that at a CA–DI to MP ratio of 1:500 (g/g) following a 12 min heat treatment, the carbonyl content of MPs in duck meat decreased by 48.30%, and the sulfhydryl content increased by 53.42%. When the concentration was 1:500 (CA-DI, g/g) after 24 min of heat treatment, the •OH and DPPH radical scavenging rates were highest at 59.5% and 94.0%, respectively. And the initial denaturation temperature of MPs was the highest at 96.62 °C, and the thermal absorption was lowest at 200.24 J g−1. At the parameter, the smallest particle size and size distribution range of MP were 190 nm (9.51%). Furthermore, the interplay between CA–DI and MPs contributed to a reduction in the protein particle size and intrinsic fluorescence. In summary, the combination of CA–DI and MPs played a crucial role in inducing protein unfolding and disintegration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Capsaicin, a unique alkaloid mainly found in pepper (Capsicum spp.), is in high demand in the food, chemical, and medical fields. Near-infrared (NIR) reflectance spectroscopy at 940–1660 nm was implemented in this study to determine the capsaicin content in dried chili pepper powder. The quantitative calibration models between the spectral data and the measured capsaicin content were built by partial least square regression (PLSR) and extreme learning machine regression (ELM). Different preprocessing methods were used to process the spectral data, and successive projection algorithm (SPA) and uninformative variables elimination (UVE) were used to select characteristic wavelengths. The PLSR model with the full wavelengths pretreated by the first derivative yielded optimum results with a root mean squared error for the prediction set (RMSEP) of 1.0338 g/kg and a correlation coefficient (Rp) of 0.9003 and residual prediction deviation of 2.25. It demonstrated that NIR spectroscopy could be used as an objective tool for the rapid and accurate quantitative determination of capsaicin content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new species of Anoectochilus (Orchidaceae) from Guangxi, China, A. zhongshanensis, is described here, which was identified based on phylogenetic studies adopting combined plastid markers (rbcL-matK-trnL-F), morphological observation and chemical analysis. Molecular phylogenetic results support the systematic status of A. zhongshanensis as a new species in Anoectochilus genus. Morphologically, this new species is similar to A. zhejiangensis and A. malipoensis, but differs by its characteristic labellum and column, including the hastate or scalpel-shaped lobes of epichile, forward curved and pinnately divided cristate lobes at both sides of the mesochile and inverted triangle column wings. Furthermore, HPLC-ELSD analysis of these three species revealed the interesting chemotaxonomic difference that the principle and characteristic lactone glycoside in this new species was kinsenoside, rather than its diastereoisomer, goodyeroside A, a major glycoside in A. zhejiangensis and A. malipoensis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China's Guizhou is a typical karst landscape province with high production of chili pepper, but it is mostly planted in mountainous areas, while manual harvesting of chili pepper has the deficiencies of high labor intensity, low efficiency, and high labor cost; in addition, there is no harvesting machinery applicable to the dense planting pattern of the chili pepper in mountainous areas in China. The fully hydraulic mountain track-based self-propelled pepper harvester 4JZ-1.0A is designed to solve the above problems. The pepper harvester spiral comb picking head is an important part of the whole machine design, the design of the hydraulic system of the working circuit of the picking head is the key to realizing the hydraulic control part of the whole system. In this paper, the working principle diagram of the improved load-sensitive hydraulic system is designed and analyzed for the study of whether the working circuit of the pepper picking head of the pepper machine can meet the requirements of mountain operation, taking the working circuit of the mountain pepper harvester as the research object. In addition, the load-sensitive pump model and the simulation model of the whole working circuit are established by the AMESim platform 2019.2 (Siemens simcenter amesim). The operating performance of the system under variable flow conditions, variable load conditions, and an improved sensitive system is analyzed. The simulation results show that the improved load-sensitive system can effectively reduce the oscillation and cavitation during cylinder operation and improve the system efficiency and the performance and service life of the components. The performance of the hydraulic system of the working circuit of the mountain pepper harvester was verified in the test, meeting the requirements of working use. This provides a theoretical basis for the improvement and optimal design of a mountain pepper harvester hydraulic system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Mexico, diverse morphotypes of chili pepper with local recognition are distributed regionally contributing to the in-situ conservation of Capsicum diversity in the hands of farmers, as is the case of Huacle pepper in Oaxaca. The objective of this study was to evaluate the variation among morphotypes of Huacle, Guajillo, Ancho and Pasilla chili peppers, based on agromorphological traits, bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity in fruits. The morphotypes were established in greenhouse conditions under a random block design, obtaining fruit at physiological maturity for laboratory analysis. Significant differences (P ≤ 0.01) were determined in the analysis of variance among and within morphotypes for all the agromorphological characters evaluated, except in plant height at 120 days after transplantating (dat) and specific weight. Different growth patterns were evaluated from 30 to 120 dat, but the final height was similar. Size, weight, shape, pericarp thickness, locules, number and total weight of fruits per plant were used to determine the variation among and within morphotypes. Morphotypes of Huacle (CH-4, CH-9 and CH-15) and Ancho (AN-R) presented the highest values of fruits, total weight and a low number of fruits per plant. Among morphotypes, significant differences (P ≤ 0.01) were observed for fruit composition, but not for antioxidant activity. Also, significant differences were seen in vitamin C, flavonoids content, and antioxidant activity. In fruit composition, Huacle and Guajillo peppers presented a higher vitamin C content (4.5 mg acetic acid g-1). Huacle pepper was also high in total polyphenols (31.5 mg GAE g-1). Ancho pepper showed a higher content of carotenoids (2.8 mg β -carotene g-1) and total flavonoids (3.3 mg QE g-1). Pasilla pepper showed low values in all the evaluated compounds. In conclusion, all morphotypes showed variation in fruit characters (weight, length, width, pericarp thickness, number of locules and fruit length/width ratio). In fruit composition, the variation was in vitamin C, carotenoids, flavonoids and polyphenols, but not in antioxidant activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High temperatures, high relative humidity, and frequent rainfall limit productivity and quality of red chili pepper (Capsicum annuum L) with 30,000 to 50,000 Scoville units. Growers in greenhouses use shading screens to limit incidence radiation in order to avoid the issue of too high temperatures and high radiation. A pot experiment was conducted to assess growth, physiology, yield, and quality responses of three pepper varieties under four shade levels. The combined effects of shade level and pepper variety affected days to 50% flowering, days to breaker stage, plant height, node number, internode length, branch number, relative growth rate, leaf number, leaf area, transpiration rate, photosynthesis rate, stomatal conductance, leaf temperature, fruit length, fruit weight per plant, total soluble solids, marketable fruit yield, cull fruit yield, total fresh fruit yield, and total dry fruit yield. Shade levels from 25% to 50% positively affected chlorophyll fluorescence, chlorophyll content, stomatal conductance, transpiration rate, fruit yield, and quality parameters; above this shade level, these parameters were negatively affected in all pepper varieties. Light and shade influenced growth, physiology, yield, and quality of hot peppers. The hot pepper variety Mareko Fana, grown under 25% shade, improved its productivity and pod quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bacterial spot of tomato and chili pepper, caused by four species of Xanthomonas and various races, is one of the diseases with the greatest impact on horticulture worldwide. The aim of this study was to identify the species and physiological races of Xanthomonas present in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) and chili pepper (Capsicum annuum) crops in Sinaloa, Mexico. For this purpose, samples with typical symptoms of bacterial spot were collected in commercial fields of the different municipalities in the state of Sinaloa. Ninety-three bacteria were isolated on semi-selective medium as nutrient agar and yeast extract-dextrose. A total of 47 bacteria were identified as Xanthomonas by a combination of morphological, pathogenic, biochemical, physiological, and molecular tests. In addition, to characterize the morphological race of each strain, differential tomato (four) and chili pepper (six) lines were used. Molecular diagnostic using specific primers indicated that 83% corresponded to X. euvesicatoria, 10.6% to X. perforans, and 6.4% to X. vesicatoria. At the physiological race level, races T1, T2, T3, and T5 were detected in tomato; while the Xanthomonas races detected in chili pepper were P0, P3, P6, P8 and P10. This information updates previous data on the distribution of races of Xanthomonas that infect chili peppers in Sinaloa, since races P6 and P10 are reported for the first time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pepper (Capsicum) is one of the most important and widespread vegetable crops in the Balkans. Some old indigenous forms are not the focus of modern breeding but are preserved in some areas and represent valuable genetic resources. Three Bulgarian varieties (Plovdivska kapiya, Familiya and IZK Delicates) C. annuum, and two representatives of the chili pepper C. chinense and C. frutescens. Interspecific hybrids were made between sweet (C. annum) and chili pepper plants. The genetic relationships of the varieties of Capsicum species were assessed using ISSR primers. PCR amplification of isolated DNA from parental lines and interspecific hybrids revealed 65 distinct polymorphic bands. Cluster analysis clearly distinguished the parental forms and individuals from the F1 and F2 populations. The applied ISSR molecular technique can be successfully used to analyze genetic diversity in cultivars, early-stage seedlings, and interspecific hybrids, as well as to detect differences in individuals whose genomes are highly homogeneous, such as those of the genus Capsicum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the effect of biological control agents (BCA) and two biological formulations (Bio-Terra and Bio-CNPR) against the phytopathogens found in the soil of huacle chili (Capsicum annuum) plantations, in order to obtain healthy seedlings. Design/Methodology/Approach: The following design variables were evaluated: germination (%), disease incidence (%), and survival (%). Stem height and root length were also evaluated. The experimental unit was a tray with n=30 seedlings per each treatments (T0, T1, T2, T3, and T4) and four repetitions. An analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used. Tukey's mean test was applied (using the Minitab Statistical program version 20.0) in units that presented differences (p ≤ 0.05). Results: The phytopathogenic microorganism Fusarium spp. was isolated from the soil of the plots cultivated with huacle chili. The T1 treatment recorded the best inhibitory effect against Fusarium spp.: it had 92.2% germination, 18.3% incidence of Fusarium spp., and 82% surviving seedlings (with an average height of 16 cm and a root length of 7.9 cm). The sterilization of the soil lead to T4 having the best results in germination, incidence, and survival, since Fusarium spp. did not damage huacle chili seedlings. In contrast, T0 did not prosper neither with BCA nor with biological products, since all the seedlings in non-sterile soil died. Study Limitations/Implications: A plastic barrier was placed between the trays with the chili seedlings to avoid cross-contamination between treatments. Findings/Conclusions: T1 (the BCA with nitrogen-fixing bacteria and B. subtilis) recorded the best counteracting results against the damage generated by Fusarium spp. Their antagonism allowed a high percentage of survival of huacle chili seedlings and encouraged plant development through the best root growth and height of the seedlings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chiltepin (Capsicum annuum var. glabriusculum) is a wild plant resource with a wide geographical distribution in Mexico and it is part of life in rural societies in the state of Puebla. The pungency of chiltepin is due to capsaicinoids, especially capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin, which are of interest to the agricultural industry due to their insecticidal, bactericidal, and fungicidal effects; however, both a phytotoxic and promoter effects, have not been explored in in-vitro cultures of Arabidopsis thaliana. Therefore, the objective of this research was to evaluate the promoter and phytotoxic effect of ethanolic extracts of chiltepin from the Sierra Norte of Puebla, Mexico, on Arabidopsis thaliana crops based on their energy use evaluated by ecoexergy through neural networks. The ethanolic extract with seed (EECS) and without seed (EESS) was obtained by ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) of ripe fruits, using 96% ethanol. Capsaicin content was determined by UV/VIS spectrophotometry. EECS, EESS and EtOH extracts were added in different amounts to the MS medium in which 7-day-old Arabidopsis thaliana seedlings were grown. The concentrations at which a phytotoxic effect was observed after 120h were 28.37 mg/L and 35.62 mg/L, for EECS and EESS respectively. Exposure to a dose 10 times lower than the EC50, in the case of EECS, showed an increase in the calculated energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fruit color of chili pepper is an important characteristic in identification and classification and is often used as the basis for determining consumer preferences. Information on the relationship between chili fruit color and its molecular profile is very important in supporting selection activities in plant breeding. This study aims to identify genetic diversity associated with the fruit color of three genotypes of chili (Capsicum frutescens L.): Cakra Hijau, HV-149 and G1/M8, using Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and Simple Sequence Repeat (SSR). Morphological confirmation was carried out according to Capsicum descriptors. Nineteen RAPD markers and six SSR markers were used for genetic variability assessment. Genetic variation was analyzed using the unweighted pair group method with the arithmetic mean and the Jaccard similarity index. The three chili genotypes had different fruit colors at each maturation stage. The immature Cakra Hijau fruit is dark green and turns dark red as it ripens. The immature fruits of the G1/M8 line are light green and turn red when ripe. Finally, immature HV-149 fruits are dark green and yellow when ripe. The SSR markers used in this study were unable to show polymorphism. On the other hand, the RAPD marker successfully detected genetic variation in the three chili genotypes and resulted in a total of 49 alleles. The average value of polymorphic information content of the RAPD primers used ranged from 0 to 0.296, with the highest index indicated by OPA-1. The dendrogram shows the separation of the three genotypes into two main clusters, with the first cluster consisting of the HV-149 variety and the second cluster consisting of Cakra Hijau and G1/M8 lines. This study revealed that there are genetic variations based on the morphological characteristics of fruit color at each ripening stage and RAPD band profile. The RAPD marker was more effective than the SSR marker for identifying the genetic diversity of fruit color in the three chilies studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hot pepper ranks seventh among the most produced vegetables in the world. This crop is famous for its color and pungency. Hot pepper contains many important phytonutrients that enable it to fight against cancer. Conventional breeding in Hot Pepper is labor-consuming and a long-term process. This can be overcome by using novel approaches, such as, in vitro doubled haploid plant production. This method not only accelerate breeding programs but also facilitates recovery of recessive mutations. There are many articles published on doubled haploid development in Capsicum annuum; it reports both anther culture and shed-microspore culture methods, but both these methods require either subculture of anthers or the addition of new media, which makes both protocols laborious. The present study aims to develop a single-step direct embryogenesis protocol to produce doubled haploids in Capsicum annuum. We analyzed effectiveness of microspore embryogenesis on ten Hot pepper genotypes with six media combinations including shed-microspore culture protocol (Supena et.al 2006) and two-step anther culture protocol (Dumas de vaulx et.al 1981 and Para-Vega et.al 2016). Among six, one media combination responded very well to single-step direct embryogenesis compared to other protocols with more than 20 % plant regeneration frequency. We observed an average embryogenesis of 7.53% and plant regeneration frequency of 3.81%. We achieved a survival index of 97.61% after acclimatization of plants in the polyhouse. The results of these experiments show that, one-step direct embryogenesis can be achieved with unique combination of plant growth regulators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural antifoulants have received significant interest in the search for non- or less-toxic antifouling coating systems for marine structures. Capsaicin, a natural compound that can be found in chili peppers, is known as an environmentally friendly antifouling agent with an excellent performance and a low environmental impact. However, controlling its release from the coating matrix is still an issue to be solved. With the aim of developing an eco-friendly antifouling system with prolonged long-term activity, in this study, we incorporated capsaicin in combination with dichlofluanid into water-based acrylic coating formulations. The antifouling activity of the resulting coatings was studied by examining the survival behavior of a Gram-negative marine bacterium Aeromonas Salmonoid ATCC 33658, and the release rate of capsaicin from the paint matrix was also assessed. The combination of 0.75 wt.% capsaicin and 0.75 wt.% dichlofluanid into the same matrix showed an antibacterial performance of up to 99.9% cfu reduction with an antibacterial value R 2.5–3 times higher than those obtained with the single biocides at 1.5 wt.%. The association between the two organic biocides created a synergistic effect on the antifouling performance, further resulting in a prolonged activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Capsaicinoids, mostly from chili peppers, are widely used in daily life. Capsaicinoids are considered to be markers for the identification of illegal cooking oil (ICO), which is a serious threat to public health. The identification of capsaicinoids can help reveal food-related fraud, thereby safeguarding consumers' health. Here, a novel and ultrasensitive method was established with a signal amplification strategy for the detection of capsaicinoids. AuNPs@Fe3O4 nanocomposites were functionalized with 4-aminothiophenol (4-atp). After diazotization, 4-atp on AuNPs@Fe3O4 reacted with capsaicinoids and formed capsaicinoids-azo-atp-AuNPs@Fe3O4. Ultimately, capsaicinoids-azo-atp-AuNPs@Fe3O4 was dropped onto the surface of a screen-printed carbon electrode (SPCE) and detected via the differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) method. AuNPs@Fe3O4 nanocomposites increased the specific surface area of the electrode. Moreover, the diazotization–coupling reaction enriched the analytes on the electrode surface. Liquid–liquid extraction was used for sample pretreatment. Under a pH value of 9.0 and concentration of 0.20 mol/L for the supporting electrolyte, the linearity of capsaicinoids in ICO is from 0.10 to 10.00 ng/mL, and the limit of detection (S/N = 3) is 0.05 ng/mL. This method is ultra-sensitive, reliable, and cost-effective for the detection of capsaicinoids. Herein, this method provides a promising tool for the identification of ICO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]