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Chili pepper is Indonesia’s widely cultivated horticultural commodity, driven by high economic and consumer demand. However, chili production has not been able to meet national needs. One of the major inhibiting factors is the attack by pathogens. This study aimed to characterize the damage to the morphological and anatomical structures of chili pepper leaves infected with the fungus Cercospora capsici. A descriptive observational method was employed in this research. Samples of chili pepper leaves exhibiting yellow spot symptoms were collected from the field, followed by observations of their morphological and anatomical characteristics. The results indicated that morphological damage manifested as small, round brown spots and chlorosis, with advanced symptoms leading to necrosis and eventual leaf drop. Anatomical damage revealed the presence of fungal hyphae infiltrating the leaf’s mesophyll and cortex tissues through stomata and intercellular spaces, disrupting the process of photosynthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In response to the low accuracy and slow detection speed of chili recognition in natural environments, this study proposes a chili pepper object detection method based on the improved YOLOv8n. Evaluations were conducted among YOLOv5n, YOLOv6n, YOLOv7-tiny, YOLOv8n, YOLOv9, and YOLOv10 to select the optimal model. YOLOv8n was chosen as the baseline and improved as follows: (1) Replacing the YOLOv8 backbone with the improved HGNetV2 model to reduce floating-point operations and computational load during convolution. (2) Integrating the SEAM (spatially enhanced attention module) into the YOLOv8 detection head to enhance feature extraction capability under chili fruit occlusion. (3) Optimizing feature fusion using the dilated reparam block module in certain C2f (CSP bottleneck with two convolutions). (4) Substituting the traditional upsample operator with the CARAFE(content-aware reassembly of features) upsampling operator to further enhance network feature fusion capability and improve detection performance. On a custom-built chili dataset, the F0.5-score, mAP0.5, and mAP0.5:0.95 metrics improved by 1.98, 2, and 5.2 percentage points, respectively, over the original model, achieving 96.47%, 96.3%, and 79.4%. The improved model reduced parameter count and GFLOPs by 29.5% and 28.4% respectively, with a final model size of 4.6 MB. Thus, this method effectively enhances chili target detection, providing a technical foundation for intelligent chili harvesting processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chili peppers were treated with gamma irradiation to develop anthracnose disease resistance. Seeds of chili peppers were irradiated with gamma rays at 0, 100, 200, 300, 400 and 500 Gy to determine the optimal dose for mutation breeding. The LD50 value was calculated to be 264.83 Gy. The 300 Gy gammairradiated chili pepper seeds (Capsicum annuum L.) were planted in the experiment field at Nan Agricultural Research and Development Center, Thailand for mutation selection. The results showed that the irradiated chili plants not only survived the anthracnose infection but also produced fruits. These fruits were less affected or unaffected by the anthracnose disease compared to the control group (unirradiated) which showed damages on every part of chili plant. The 28 healthy chili pepper plants in M3 generation that showed anthracnose resistant traits were selected as seeds for M4 generation. Two chili pepper lines in M4 generation exhibited the highest resistance to anthracnose. From the pathogenicity test, those 2 chili pepper lines were found to have resistance to anthracnose disease caused by both Colletotrichum gloeosporioides and Colletotrichum capsici. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To analyze the metabolic differences in Wangdu peppers, this study employed high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) to detect chemical components and perform non-targeted metabolomics analysis on five different varieties of Wangdu peppers: Yan Jiao (YJ), La Yan (LY), Guo Ta (GT), Yan Jiao 110 (YJA), and Re La (RL). Machine learning was used to classify and identify the differential metabolites screened. First, HPLC was used to measure the content of capsaicin, dihydrocapsaicin, and Vitamin C (VC) in the five pepper varieties. Then, GC-MS was used for non-targeted metabolite analysis of the five peppers. Principal component analysis (PCA) and orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) were employed to identify differential metabolites and metabolic pathways. Machine learning methods were used to identify the different pepper varieties based on the differential metabolites. In the five pepper varieties, Re La had the highest content of capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin, at 533.897±62.187 μg/g and 264.526±28.532 μg/g, respectively. Yan Jiao had the highest VC content at 146.9±0.029 mg/100 g. OPLS-DA identified 16 differential metabolites, including organic acids such as quinic acid and aconitic acid, which were higher in Yan Jiao, D-sorbitol, which was highest in La Yan, citric acid, D-fructose, D-mannose, and lactic acid, which were most enriched in Guo Ta, D-tagatose and amino acids, which were highest in Yan Jiao 110, and glucose and inositol, which were most abundant in Re La. KEGG pathway enrichment analysis indicated that the differential metabolic pathways mainly included galactose metabolism, fructose and mannose metabolism, the citric acid cycle, starch and sucrose metabolism, glyoxylate and dicarboxylate metabolism, and pyruvate metabolism. Finally, three machine learning methods—random forest (RF), XGBoost, and backpropagation (BP) neural networks were used to classify and validate the differential metabolites of the five pepper varieties. The established classification models achieved accuracies of 100%, 92.9%, and 78.6%, respectively, demonstrating their utility in identifying pepper varieties. These results would provide fundamental data for the quality evaluation, variety improvement, and comprehensive utilization of Wangdu peppers.

To investigate the effects of different brine and fermentation methods on the quality characteristics of fermented chili peppers, this study employed four different fermentation methods: Natural fermentation with sterile water, co-inoculation fermentation (Lactiplantibacillus plantarum KUST-D1303:Pichia manshurica KUST-F1705=1:1) with sterile water, natural fermentation with aged brine and co-inoculation fermentation with aged brine. The quality characteristics of the fermented chili peppers were compared and analyzed. Results showed that compared to other fermentation methods, co-inoculation fermentation with aged brine significantly (P

Chili peppers (Capsicum annuum L.) are economically valuable crops belonging to the Solanaceae family and are popular worldwide because of their unique spiciness and flavor. In this study, differences in the metabolomes of landrace (Subicho) and disease-resistant pepper cultivars (Bulkala and Kaltanbaksa) widely grown in Korea are investigated using a 1H NMR-based metabolomics approach. Specific metabolites were abundant in the pericarp (GABA, fructose, and glutamine) and placenta (glucose, asparagine, arginine, and capsaicin), highlighting the distinct physiological and functional roles of these components. Both the pericarp and placenta of disease-resistant pepper cultivars contained higher levels of sucrose and hexoses and lower levels of alanine, proline, and threonine than the traditional landrace cultivar. These metabolic differences are linked to enhanced stress tolerance and the activation of defense pathways, imbuing these cultivars with improved resistance characteristics. The present study provides fundamental insights into the metabolic basis of disease resistance in chili peppers, emphasizing the importance of multi-resistant varieties to ensure sustainable agriculture and food security. These resistant varieties ensure a stable supply of high-quality peppers, contributing to safer and more sustainable food production systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Repeated pesticide residue detection in chili peppers in the Republic of Korea has become a serious health concern. Thus, monitoring domestically grown and imported chili peppers for pesticide residues is of great significance. Here, we investigated pesticide residues detected in imported and domestically grown chili peppers using global pesticide residue monitoring data. Our analysis involved organizing inspection and detection data from different sources. Global pesticide residue monitoring data for chili peppers revealed 139 pesticide types, 43,532 inspections, and 3966 detections (detection rate, 9.11%). Peppers from Mexico were sampled the most (39,927 inspections) and showed the highest number of detected cases (2998 cases). Globally, the top 10 most frequently detected pesticides were clothianidin, imidacloprid, thiamethoxam, chlorpyrifos, thiacloprid, metalaxyl, myclobutanil, azoxystrobin, carbendazim, and cyhalothrin, with detection rates in the range of 10.52–28.66%. Furthermore, domestic chili pepper pesticide residue monitoring revealed 73 pesticide types, 3535 inspections, and 332 detected cases (detection rate, 9.39%), and the top 10 most frequently detected pesticides were chlorfenapyr, tebuconazole, flonicamid, dinotefuran, boscalid, pyraclostrobin, fluxametamide, thiamethoxam, pyridaben, and azoxystrobin, with detection rates in the range of 13.89–32.58%. These findings may serve as fundamental data for safety management related to chili pepper pesticide residues in the Republic of Korea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Science & Technology of Food Industry is the property of Science & Technology of Food Industry Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: Only a few adolescents are meeting their daily vegetable requirement. At the same time, spicy food is increasingly popular and familiar across cultures. Objectives: To explore the implementation of spicy vegetables into school meals, the primary objective is to determine adolescents’ preferred degree of hot spice on steamed broccoli. Secondary objectives include estimating the appropriateness and acceptability of spicy vegetables in the National School Lunch Program and identifying strategies to promote spicy vegetables within school meals. Methods: One hundred participants between the age 11 and 17 y sampled 4 steamed broccoli florets with varying levels of a ground red and cayenne pepper spice blend (0, 0.9, 2.0, and 4.0 g). Participants rated their likeability of each broccoli sample on a 9-point hedonic scale and answered a survey assessing chili liking, chili consumption patterns, appropriateness, and acceptability. An interview assessed perspectives on spicy vegetables within school lunch.Regression analyses assessed relationships between participant attributes and sample ratings and survey outcomes. Agglomerative hierarchical cluster analysis was conducted to cluster together participants with similar sample liking ratings. Results: Seventy-seven percent of participants reported that chili pepper makes food taste better, and 67% consumed spicy food weekly or daily. Chili likers (n = 41) were the dominant cluster group, compared with moderates (n = 31) and chili dislikers (n = 28). Thematic analysis results suggested that most participants support incorporating spicy vegetables into school lunch but mushy vegetable texture may undermine the impact of changing school vegetable spice levels. Conclusions: Spicy foods are commonly consumed by adolescents, and these findings support the inclusion of spicy vegetables in school lunch. Additional research is needed to identify policies and practices to improve the texture of vegetables in school meals and determine additional strategies to support cultural humility in child nutrition programs.

Chili pepper cultivation in the Indian subcontinent is severely affected by viral diseases, prompting the need for environmentally friendly disease control methods. To achieve this, it is essential to understand the molecular mechanisms of viral resistance in chili pepper. The NONEXPRESSOR OF PATHOGENESIS-RELATED GENES 1 (NPR1) genes are known to provide broad-spectrum resistance to various phytopathogens by activating systemic acquired resistance (SAR). An in-depth understanding of NPR1 gene expression during begomovirus infection and its correlation with different biochemical and physiological parameters is crucial for enhancing resistance against begomoviruses in chili pepper. Nevertheless, limited information on chili CaNPR genes and their role in biotic stress constrains their potential in breeding for biotic stress resistance. By employing bioinformatics for genome mining, we identify 5 CaNPR genes in chili. The promoter regions of 1,500 bp of CaNPR genes contained cis-elements associated with biotic stress responses, signifying their involvement in biotic stress responses. Furthermore, these gene promoters harbored components linked to light, development, and hormone responsiveness, suggesting their roles in plant hormone responses and development. MicroRNAs played a vital role in regulating these five CaNPR genes, highlighting their significance in the regulation of chili genes. Inoculation with the begomovirus “cotton leaf curl Khokhran virus (CLCuKV)” had a detrimental effect on chili plant growth, resulting in stunted development, fibrous roots, and evident virus symptoms. The qRT-PCR analysis of two local chili varieties inoculated with CLCuKV, one resistant (V1) and the other susceptible (V2) to begomoviruses, indicated that CaNPR1 likely provides extended resistance and plays a role in chili plant defense mechanisms, while the remaining genes are activated during the early stages of infection. These findings shed light on the function of chili’s CaNPR in biotic stress responses and identify potential genes for biotic stress-resistant breeding. However, further research, including gene cloning and functional analysis, is needed to confirm the role of these genes in various physiological and biological processes. This in-silico analysis enhances our genome-wide understanding of how chili CaNPR genes respond during begomovirus infection.

【Background and Objective】 Pepper is a shallow-rooted cash crop characterized by high leaf area index (LAI) and stomatal conductivity. It is sensitive to soil water change, and excessive or insufficient irrigation could thus inhibit its development, resulting in a decrease in yield and fruit quality. Reducing irrigation amount at different growth stages to maintain soil moisture at optimal levels has been posited as an improved cultivation method to improve yield and quality of the pepper. This paper aims to investigate the effect of water deficit at different growth stages on growth, yield and quality of chili pepper in the middle and low reaches of the Yellow River. 【Method】 The experiment was conducted in a solar greenhouse in Xinxiang, Henan province, with the pepper irrigated by drip irrigation. Three water deficits were imposed at flowering-fruiting stage (K) and fruiting stage (J) at different levels: severe water deficit by keeping the soil moisture content at 55%-65% of the field capacity (K1 and J1), moderate water deficit by keeping soil moisture content at 65%-75% of the field capacity (K2 and J2), sufficient irrigation by keeping soil moisture content at 75%-85% of the field capacity (K3 and J3). In each treatment, we measured plant height, stem diameter, yield and fruit quality of the pepper. 【Result】 ① Water deficit in reproductive stage reduced plant height and stem diameter of the pepper, while a moderate water deficit in flowering-fruiting stage and fruiting stage did not significantly affect plant height and stem diameter. ② The combination of K2 and J3 increased the yield of the pepper, promoted formation of marketable fruits. Compared with the combination of K3 and J3, the combination K2+J3 increased the yield of marketable fruits by 18.9%. ③ The combination of K2 and J3 had the highest soluble sugar content; the combination of K1 and J1 gave the highest dihydrocapsaicin content; the combination of K2 and J2 had the highest capsaicin, soluble protein, and vitamin C content. 【Conclusion】 A moderate water deficit during the flowering - fruiting stage combined with a sufficient irrigation at fruiting stage can improve yield and fruit quality for the greenhouse chili pepper.

Abstract Background Different metabolic compounds give pepper leaves and fruits their diverse colors. Anthocyanin accumulation is the main cause of the purple color of pepper leaves. The light environment is a critical factor affecting anthocyanin biosynthesis. It is essential that we understand how to use light to regulate anthocyanin biosynthesis in plants. Result Pepper leaves were significantly blue–purple only in continuous blue light or white light (with a blue light component) irradiation treatments, and the anthocyanin content of pepper leaves increased significantly after continuous blue light irradiation. This green-to-purple phenotype change in pepper leaves was due to the expression of different genes. We found that the anthocyanin synthesis precursor-related genes PAL and 4CL, as well as the structural genes F3H, DFR, ANS, BZ1, and F3’5’H in the anthocyanin synthesis pathway, had high expression under continuous blue light irradiation. Similarly, the expression of transcription factors MYB1R1-like, MYB48, MYB4-like isoform X1, bHLH143-like, and bHLH92-like isoform X3, and circadian rhythm-related genes LHY and COP1, were significantly increased after continuous blue light irradiation. A correlation network analysis revealed that these transcription factors and circadian rhythm-related genes were positively correlated with structural genes in the anthocyanin synthesis pathway. Metabolomic analysis showed that delphinidin-3-O-glucoside and delphinidin-3-O-rutinoside were significantly higher under continuous blue light irradiation relative to other light treatments. We selected 12 genes involved in anthocyanin synthesis in pepper leaves for qRT-PCR analysis, and the accuracy of the RNA-seq results was confirmed. Conclusions In this study, we found that blue light and 24-hour irradiation together induced the expression of key genes and the accumulation of metabolites in the anthocyanin synthesis pathway, thus promoting anthocyanin biosynthesis in pepper leaves. These results provide a basis for future study of the mechanisms of light quality and photoperiod in anthocyanin synthesis and metabolism, and our study may serve as a valuable reference for screening light ratios that regulate anthocyanin biosynthesis in plants.

The presence of harmful chemicals in water is a major problem in many regions worldwide. This study aimed to develop a nanocomposite of carbonised-chili and nanoparticles to remove nickel ions (Ni(II)), methylene blue (MB) and paracetamol (PARA) from water. The material was characterised by TEM, FTIR, XRD and TGA. The uptake for PARA and MB was endothermic with capacities of 39.98 and 44.31 mg/g at pH value 7, while that of Ni(II) was exothermic at 56.06 mg/g at pH value 5. The data were described by the Freundlich and PSO models. The reusability was tested up to four cycles. In conclusion, a low-cost nanocomposite adsorbent developed from chili carbon/Fe3O4 exhibited excellent adsorption capacity for various pollutants, indicating the versatility and potential of the material for water treatment.

Simple Summary: Despite the significant improvements in the diagnosis and therapeutic strategies for gastric cancer, this malignancy still remains one of the most prevalent worldwide, with a significant mortality rate. Recently, the number of studies concerning herbal medicine and its use in various cancers has increased significantly. For example, there has been research focusing on its applications alone or in combination with other therapeutic strategies, such as chemotherapy. Therefore, because of the continuous research on newer spices, we aimed to summarize the current knowledge regarding the application of herbal medicine in gastric cancer patients, taking into account their potential as a part of potential cancer therapy. Besides providing a summary of the potential alternative therapeutic approaches for gastric cancer, the findings of this paper might provide insight into further research directions. Gastric cancer (GC) ranks third in terms of cancer-related deaths and is the fifth most commonly diagnosed type of cancer. Its risk factors include Helicobacter pylori infection, Epstein–Barr virus infection, the consumption of broiled and charbroiled animal meats, salt-preserved and smoke-enhanced foods, alcohol drinking, tobacco smoking, exposure to ionizing radiation, and positive family history. The limited effectiveness of conventional therapies and the widespread risk factors of GC encourage the search for new methods of treatment and prevention. In the quest for cheap and commonly available medications, numerous studies focus on herbal medicine, traditional brews, and spices. In this review, we outline the potential use of spices, including turmeric, ginger, garlic, black cumin, chili pepper, saffron, black pepper, rosemary, galangal, coriander, wasabi, cinnamon, oregano, cardamom, fenugreek, caraway, clove, dill, thyme, Piper sarmentosum, basil, as well as the compounds they contain, in the prevention and treatment of GC. We present the potential molecular mechanisms responsible for the effectivity of a given seasoning substance and their impact on GC cells. We discuss their potential effects on proliferation, apoptosis, and migration. For most of the spices discussed, we also outline the unavailability and side effects of their use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bacterial leaf spot is a serious disease of chili pepper (Capsicum spp.) caused by Xanthomonas euvesicatoria pv. euvesicatoria. Conventional resistance screening is time and resource intensive. It was considered that a quick and simple determination of cultivar susceptibility could be achieved through estimating bacterial titers of inoculated plants. A SYBR quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR)-based assay was compared with conventional PCR, then used to detect and enumerate pathogen titers in serial dilutions and DNA extracted from infected plant leaves. The qPCR detection limit was approximately 1 CFU µl−1, 10 times more sensitive than conventional PCR. A linear correlation (R² = 0.994) was obtained from the standard curve comparing plate-truthed serial dilutions of the pathogen with the qPCR cycle threshold. Six strains were used to inoculate cultivars Hugo and Warlock. One strain, X. euvesicatoria pv. euvesicatoria BRIP62403, was consistently the most virulent based on visual symptoms and pathogen titers in planta inferred by qPCR performed on DNA extracted from infected leaves 2 and 6 weeks postinoculation. Visual observations 6 weeks after inoculation were highly correlated (R² = 0.8254) to pathogen titers. The qPCR method was used to categorize 20 chili pepper cultivars 2 weeks after inoculation. A high positive correlation (R² = 0.6826) was observed between visual scoring and pathogen titers from 20 chili pepper cultivars, facilitating categorization of susceptible, intermediate, and resistant cultivars. The qPCR approach developed here facilitates susceptibility screening of chili pepper cultivars at an early stage of selection and could be readily adapted to a range of other pathosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chili pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) is extensively cultivated in China, with its production highly reliant on regional environmental conditions. Given ongoing climate change, it is imperative to assess its impact on chili pepper cultivation and identify suitable habitats for future cultivation. In this study, the MaxEnt model was optimized and utilized to predict suitable habitats for open-field chili pepper cultivation, and changes in these habitats were analyzed using ArcGIS v10.8. Our results showed that the parameter settings of the optimal model were FC = LQPTH and RM = 2.7, and the critical environmental variables influencing chili pepper distribution were annual mean temperature, isothermality, maximum temperature of the warmest month, and precipitation of the warmest quarter. Under current climate conditions, suitable habitats were distributed across all provinces in China, with moderately- and highly-suitable habitats concentrated in the east of the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau and south of the Inner Mongolia Plateau. Under future climate scenarios, the area of suitable habitats was expected to be larger than the current ones, except for SSP126-2050s, and reached the maximum under SSP126-2090s. The overlapping suitable habitats were concentrated in the east of the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau and south of the Inner Mongolia Plateau under various climate scenarios. In the 2050s, the centroids of suitable habitats were predicted to shift towards the southwest, except for SSP126, whereas this trend was reversed in the 2090s. Our results suggest that climate warming is conductive to the cultivation of chili pepper, and provide scientific guidance for the introduction and cultivation of chili pepper in the face of climate warming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Different metabolic compounds give pepper leaves and fruits their diverse colors. Anthocyanin accumulation is the main cause of the purple color of pepper leaves. The light environment is a critical factor affecting anthocyanin biosynthesis. It is essential that we understand how to use light to regulate anthocyanin biosynthesis in plants. Result: Pepper leaves were significantly blue–purple only in continuous blue light or white light (with a blue light component) irradiation treatments, and the anthocyanin content of pepper leaves increased significantly after continuous blue light irradiation. This green-to-purple phenotype change in pepper leaves was due to the expression of different genes. We found that the anthocyanin synthesis precursor-related genes PAL and 4CL, as well as the structural genes F3H, DFR, ANS, BZ1, and F3'5'H in the anthocyanin synthesis pathway, had high expression under continuous blue light irradiation. Similarly, the expression of transcription factors MYB1R1-like, MYB48, MYB4-like isoform X1, bHLH143-like, and bHLH92-like isoform X3, and circadian rhythm-related genes LHY and COP1, were significantly increased after continuous blue light irradiation. A correlation network analysis revealed that these transcription factors and circadian rhythm-related genes were positively correlated with structural genes in the anthocyanin synthesis pathway. Metabolomic analysis showed that delphinidin-3-O-glucoside and delphinidin-3-O-rutinoside were significantly higher under continuous blue light irradiation relative to other light treatments. We selected 12 genes involved in anthocyanin synthesis in pepper leaves for qRT-PCR analysis, and the accuracy of the RNA-seq results was confirmed. Conclusions: In this study, we found that blue light and 24-hour irradiation together induced the expression of key genes and the accumulation of metabolites in the anthocyanin synthesis pathway, thus promoting anthocyanin biosynthesis in pepper leaves. These results provide a basis for future study of the mechanisms of light quality and photoperiod in anthocyanin synthesis and metabolism, and our study may serve as a valuable reference for screening light ratios that regulate anthocyanin biosynthesis in plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of different organic mulch materials and thicknesses in controlling weeds, improving soil temperature and moisture, and increasing crop yield in Capsicum annuum L. cultivation. The experiment was conducted in 2022, using three types of mulch materials (grass, chopped paper, wheat straw) and three different thicknesses (5 cm, 10 cm, 15 cm). A total of 22 weed species were identified in the experimental area, and statistical analysis revealed significant differences in all parameters between the mulch treatments and the control group. The use of organic mulch resulted in better weed control, with an increase in mulch thickness corresponding to greater suppression of annual weed species. The highest effect on weed dry weight was observed in the 15-cm paper mulch, which also produced the highest yield (3940.48 kg/da). The study also showed that soil temperature was lower and soil moisture was higher in all mulch treatments compared to the bare soil control group, with some fluctuations observed at times. Overall, the findings suggest that the use of organic mulch is crucial in arid and semi-arid regions for effective weed control, water conservation, improved water efficiency, reduced soil evaporation, and increased pepper yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY: Pungent capsaicinoid is synthesized only in chili pepper (Capsicum spp.). The production of vanillylamine from vanillin is a unique reaction in the capsaicinoid biosynthesis pathway. Although putative aminotransferase (pAMT) has been isolated as the vanillylamine synthase gene, it is unclear how Capsicum acquired pAMT. Here, we present a phylogenetic overview of pAMT and its homologs. The Capsicum genome contained 5 homologs, including pAMT, CaGABA‐T1, CaGABA‐T3, and two pseudogenes. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that pAMT is a member of the Solanaceae cytoplasmic GABA‐Ts. Comparative genome analysis found that multiple copies of GABA‐T exist in a specific Solanaceae genomic region, and the cytoplasmic GABA‐Ts other than pAMT are located in the region. The cytoplasmic GABA‐T was phylogenetically close to pseudo‐GABA‐T harboring a plastid transit peptide (pseudo‐GABA‐T3). This suggested that Solanaceae cytoplasmic GABA‐Ts occurred via duplication of a chloroplastic GABA‐T ancestor and subsequent loss of the plastid transit signal. The cytoplasmic GABA‐T may have been translocated from the specific Solanaceae genomic region during Capsicum divergence, resulting in the current pAMT locus. A recombinant protein assay demonstrated that pAMT had higher vanillylamine synthase activity than those of other plant GABA‐Ts. pAMT was expressed exclusively in the placental septum of mature green fruit, whereas tomato orthologs SlGABA‐T2/4 exhibit a ubiquitous expression pattern in plants. These findings suggested that both the increased catalytic efficiency and transcriptional changes in pAMT may have contributed to establish vanillylamine synthesis in the capsaicinoid biosynthesis pathway. This study provides insights into the establishment of pungency in the evolution of chili peppers. Significance Statement: Chili pepper vanillylamine synthase (pAMT) in capsaicin biosynthesis pathway belongs to the Solanaceae cytoplasmic GABA‐Ts, which originated via duplication of a chloroplastic ancestor and exhibits higher catalytic efficiency and placenta‐specific expression, compared with other close‐related GABA‐Ts. This study presents an intriguing case of how a primary metabolism enzyme evolved into a key enzyme that contributes to lineage‐specific secondary metabolite biosynthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Edible films elaborated from macromolecules, like carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids, must protect and maintain the integrity of foods during their handling, storage, and transportation. In this work, the effect of the concentration of zein (1–2% w/v), sodium alginate (1.5–2% w/v), and glycerol (2–4% w/v) on edible films physicochemical properties was evaluated. The Zein-Alginate-Glycerol interaction was evidenced by the FTIR analysis, the high permeability to water vapor and contact angles less than 90° of the polymer matrices formed. The film made with 2% zein, 1.5% sodium alginate and 4% glycerol preserved the quality of the chili pepper during 15 days of storage at 20 °C, the edible films allowed 3 more days of shelf life for weight loss and 10 more days for firmness. Edible films could be used in chili peppers that are destined for industrial processing, and before use, remove the film with a simple wash. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Irrigation & Drainage is the property of Journal of Irrigation & Drainage Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In response to the low accuracy and slow detection speed of chili recognition in natural environments, this study proposes a chili pepper object detection method based on the improved YOLOv8n. Evaluations were conducted among YOLOv5n, YOLOv6n, YOLOv7-tiny, YOLOv8n, YOLOv9, and YOLOv10 to select the optimal model. YOLOv8n was chosen as the baseline and improved as follows: (1) Replacing the YOLOv8 backbone with the improved HGNetV2 model to reduce floating-point operations and computational load during convolution. (2) Integrating the SEAM (spatially enhanced attention module) into the YOLOv8 detection head to enhance feature extraction capability under chili fruit occlusion. (3) Optimizing feature fusion using the dilated reparam block module in certain C2f (CSP bottleneck with two convolutions). (4) Substituting the traditional upsample operator with the CARAFE(content-aware reassembly of features) upsampling operator to further enhance network feature fusion capability and improve detection performance. On a custom-built chili dataset, the F0.5-score, mAP0.5, and mAP0.5:0.95 metrics improved by 1.98, 2, and 5.2 percentage points, respectively, over the original model, achieving 96.47%, 96.3%, and 79.4%. The improved model reduced parameter count and GFLOPs by 29.5% and 28.4% respectively, with a final model size of 4.6 MB. Thus, this method effectively enhances chili target detection, providing a technical foundation for intelligent chili harvesting processes.

The objective is to develop a portable device capable of promptly identifying root rot in the field. This study employs hyperspectral imaging technology to detect root rot by analyzing spectral variations in chili pepper leaves during times of health, incubation, and disease under the stress of root rot. Two types of chili pepper seeds (Manshanhong and Shanjiao No. 4) were cultured until they had grown two to three pairs of true leaves. Subsequently, robust young plants were infected with Fusarium root rot fungi by the root-irrigation technique. The effective wavelength for discriminating between distinct stages was determined using the successive projections algorithm (SPA) after capturing hyperspectral images. The optimal index related to root rot between each normalized difference spectral index (NDSI) was obtained using the Pearson correlation coefficient. The early detection of root rot illness can be modeled using spectral information at effective wavelengths and in NDSI, together with the application of partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA), least squares support vector machine (LSSVM), and back-propagation (BP) neural network technology. The SPA-BP model demonstrates outstanding predictive capabilities compared with other models, with a classification accuracy of 92.3% for the prediction set. However, employing SPA to acquire an excessive number of efficient wave-lengths is not advantageous for immediate detection in practical field scenarios. In contrast, the NDSI (R445, R433)-BP model uses only two wavelengths of spectral information, but the prediction accuracy can reach 89.7%, which is more suitable for rapid detection of root rot. This thesis can provide theoretical support for the early detection of chili root rot and technical support for the design of a portable root rot detector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing adapted chili pepper genotypes to Egyptian conditions offering both high yield and quality is crucial particularly under the current fast-growing population and abrupt climate change. Thereupon, this study aimed to investigate the general (GCA) and specific (SCA) combining abilities for yield and quality traits, develop hybrids adapted to Egyptian conditions with high yield and quality, and elucidate the type of gene action governing these traits in chili pepper. This study was carried out at a private farm in DakahlyiaGovernorate, Egypt during the two successive autumn seasons 2021 and 2022 applying half-diallel mating scheme (5×5) without reciprocals. Five diverse parental genotypes of chili pepper were used for this study; i.e., P4, P5, P7, P8, and P11. The results reflected highly significant variation among the tested parental genotypes and crosses in all studied traits. The best combiner based on GCA was P8 for most tested traits. It recorded significant positive GCA values all studied traits except for number of fruits per plant and fruit wall thickness showed insignificant medium GCA effect. In addition, all evaluated parental genotypes were good for improving fruit length and fruit diameter. The results reflected the role of non-additive gene action on offspring for total yield was confirmed. The relationship among the tested characters could provide useful information for screening pepper genotypes and breeding programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to elucidate the effects of supplementation of Capsicum frutescens L. or chili pepper (ChP) and Curcuma longa L. or turmeric (T) powders combination in total mixed ration (TMR) on texture profile, water holding capacity (WHC) and oxidative stability of beef during days 0, 5 and 10 of retail display. The experiment was carried out on 16 crossbred bulls (Brahman and Charolais) of about 2 years in age. The bulls were randomly assigned to 4 dietary treatment groups as follows: 1) TMR as control, 2) TMR + 1%ChP powder, 3) TMR + 1%T powder, and 4) TMR supplemented with a mixed powder of 1%ChP + 1%T, over a 6 months feeding period. The results revealed that the hardness and gumminess of control beef were higher than other groups, and the cohesiveness of beef from cattle fed a mixed powder of 1%ChP + 1%T was lower than other groups (P<0.05). Regarding WHC, the results showed that, on days 0 and 5 of storage, the control group meat had higher cooking losses than either the 1%T or a mixture of 1%ChP + 1%T groups (P<0.05). Also, on 0 and 5 days of retail display, the 1%ChP + 1%T group showed the highest antioxidant activity when compared to other groups (P<0.05). As for the lipid oxidation in beef, on day 5 of storage MDA level in control beef was higher than the 1%T or a mixture of 1%ChP + 1%T groups (P<0.05). It can be concluded that the combination of chili pepper and turmeric powder in TMR can improve texture, water holding capacity, and oxidative stability of beef during refrigerated storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pollen germination rate decreases under various abiotic stresses, such as high-temperature stress, and it is one of the causes of inhibition of plant reproduction. Thus, measuring pollen germination rate is vital for understanding the reproductive ability of plants. However, measuring the pollen germination rate requires much labor when counting pollen. Therefore, we used the Yolov5 machine learning package in order to perform transfer learning and constructed a model that can detect germinated and non-germinated pollen separately. Pollen images of the chili pepper, Capsicum annuum, were used to create this model. Using images with a width of 640 pixels for training constructed a more accurate model than using images with a width of 320 pixels. This model could estimate the pollen germination rate of the F2 population of C. chinense previously studied with high accuracy. In addition, significantly associated gene regions previously detected in genome-wide association studies in this F2 population could again be detected using the pollen germination rate predicted by this model as a trait. Moreover, the model detected rose, tomato, radish, and strawberry pollen grains with similar accuracy to chili pepper. The pollen germination rate could be estimated even for plants other than chili pepper, probably because pollen images were similar among different plant species. We obtained a model that can identify genes related to pollen germination rate through genetic analyses in many plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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]

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]

Overwinter mustard cover crops incorporated into soil may suppress early-season weeds in chile pepper (Capsicum annuum). However, the potential for mustard cover crops to harbor beet leafhoppers (Circulifer tenellus) is a concern because beet leafhoppers transmit beet curly top virus to chile pepper. The objectives of this study were to determine the amounts of a biopesticidal compound (sinigrin) added to soil from ‘Caliente Rojo’ brown mustard (Brassica juncea) cover crops ended on three different days before beet leafhopper flights during spring and to determine the effects of the cover crop termination date on weed densities and hand-hoeing times for chile pepper. To address these objectives, a field study was conducted in southern New Mexico. In 2019–20, the cover crop was ended and incorporated into soil 45, 31, and 17 days before beet leafhopper flights. In 2020–21, cover crop termination occurred 36, 22, and 8 days before beet leafhopper flights. Treatments also included a no cover crop control. Cover crop biomass and sinigrin concentrations were determined at each termination. Chile pepper was seeded 28 days after the third termination date. Weed densities and hand-hoeing times were determined 28 and 56 days after chile pepper seeding. In 2019–20, the third termination (17 days before beet leafhopper flights) yielded the maximum cover crop biomass (820 g⋅m−2) and greatest sinigrin addition to soil (274 mmol⋅m−2). However, only the second termination (31 days before beet leafhopper flights) suppressed weeds in chile pepper. In 2020–21, the third termination (8 days before beet leafhopper flights) yielded the maximum cover crop biomass (591 g⋅m−2) and greatest sinigrin addition to soil (213 mmol⋅m−2), and it was the only treatment that suppressed weeds. No cover crop treatment reduced hand-hoeing times. These results indicate that overwinter mustard cover crops can be ended to evade beet leafhopper flights and suppress weeds in chile pepper.

The yellow leaf curl (YLC) disease is one of plant disease generally found in chili pepper. The aim of the research was to know various concentrations of lime juice and synthetic citric acids to protect chili pepper (Capsicum frutescens L.) against YLC disease. The research used a randomized completely block design using seven treatments and three replications. The treatments tested were spraying lime juice of 0.1%, 0.2%, and 0.3% volume per volume (v/v); citric acid solution of 0.1%, 0.2%, and 0.3 % weight per volume (w/v). Control was used water only. The data result were analyzed using the honestly significant different test at the 95% confidence level. The treatment of both lime juice and citric acid solutions 0.2% and 0.3% could decreased whitefly population on chili pepper compared with control. The lime juice and citric acid solutions 0.3% was able to reduce the incidence and intensity of YLC disease. Lime juice and citric acid solution of 0.2% and 0.3% increased fruit numbers and fruit weights compared with control. The lower whitefly population decreased disease incidence of YLC (with regression Y = 5.7505x – 48.029). Intensity of YLC disease decreased fruit numbers and fruit weight (correlation value of -0.949 and -0.912).

Repeated pesticide residue detection in chili peppers in the Republic of Korea has become a serious health concern. Thus, monitoring domestically grown and imported chili peppers for pesticide residues is of great significance. Here, we investigated pesticide residues detected in imported and domestically grown chili peppers using global pesticide residue monitoring data. Our analysis involved organizing inspection and detection data from different sources. Global pesticide residue monitoring data for chili peppers revealed 139 pesticide types, 43,532 inspections, and 3966 detections (detection rate, 9.11%). Peppers from Mexico were sampled the most (39,927 inspections) and showed the highest number of detected cases (2998 cases). Globally, the top 10 most frequently detected pesticides were clothianidin, imidacloprid, thiamethoxam, chlorpyrifos, thiacloprid, metalaxyl, myclobutanil, azoxystrobin, carbendazim, and cyhalothrin, with detection rates in the range of 10.52–28.66%. Furthermore, domestic chili pepper pesticide residue monitoring revealed 73 pesticide types, 3535 inspections, and 332 detected cases (detection rate, 9.39%), and the top 10 most frequently detected pesticides were chlorfenapyr, tebuconazole, flonicamid, dinotefuran, boscalid, pyraclostrobin, fluxametamide, thiamethoxam, pyridaben, and azoxystrobin, with detection rates in the range of 13.89–32.58%. These findings may serve as fundamental data for safety management related to chili pepper pesticide residues in the Republic of Korea.

Chili peppers (Capsicum annuum L.) are economically valuable crops belonging to the Solanaceae family and are popular worldwide because of their unique spiciness and flavor. In this study, differences in the metabolomes of landrace (Subicho) and disease-resistant pepper cultivars (Bulkala and Kaltanbaksa) widely grown in Korea are investigated using a 1H NMR-based metabolomics approach. Specific metabolites were abundant in the pericarp (GABA, fructose, and glutamine) and placenta (glucose, asparagine, arginine, and capsaicin), highlighting the distinct physiological and functional roles of these components. Both the pericarp and placenta of disease-resistant pepper cultivars contained higher levels of sucrose and hexoses and lower levels of alanine, proline, and threonine than the traditional landrace cultivar. These metabolic differences are linked to enhanced stress tolerance and the activation of defense pathways, imbuing these cultivars with improved resistance characteristics. The present study provides fundamental insights into the metabolic basis of disease resistance in chili peppers, emphasizing the importance of multi-resistant varieties to ensure sustainable agriculture and food security. These resistant varieties ensure a stable supply of high-quality peppers, contributing to safer and more sustainable food production systems.

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Abstract Background Ammonium (NH4 +) is a key nitrogen source supporting plant growth and development. Proteins in the ammonium transporter (AMT) family mediate the movement of NH4 + across the cell membrane. Although several studies have examined AMT genes in various plant species, few studies of the AMT gene family have been conducted in chili pepper. Results Here, a total of eight AMT genes were identified in chili pepper, and their exon/intron structures, phylogenetic relationships, and expression patterns in response to arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) colonization were explored. Synteny analyses among chili pepper, tomato, eggplant, soybean, and Medicago revealed that the CaAMT2;1, CaAMT2.4, and CaAMT3;1 have undergone an expansion prior to the divergence of Solanaceae and Leguminosae. The expression of six AMT2 genes was either up-regulated or down-regulated in response to AM colonization. The expression of CaAMT2;1/2;2/2;3 and SlAMT2;1/2;2/2;3 was significantly up-regulated in AM fungi-inoculated roots. A 1,112-bp CaAMT2;1 promoter fragment and a 1,400-bp CaAMT2;2 promoter fragment drove the expression of the β-glucuronidase gene in the cortex of AM roots. Evaluation of AM colonization under different NH4 + concentrations revealed that a sufficient, but not excessive, supply of NH4 + promotes the growth of chili pepper and the colonization of AM. Furthermore, we demonstrated that CaAMT2;2 overexpression could mediate NH4 + uptake in tomato plants. Conclusion In sum, our results provide new insights into the evolutionary relationships and functional divergence of chili pepper AMT genes. We also identified putative AMT genes expressed in AM symbiotic roots.

Chili pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) is extensively cultivated in China, with its production highly reliant on regional environmental conditions. Given ongoing climate change, it is imperative to assess its impact on chili pepper cultivation and identify suitable habitats for future cultivation. In this study, the MaxEnt model was optimized and utilized to predict suitable habitats for open-field chili pepper cultivation, and changes in these habitats were analyzed using ArcGIS v10.8. Our results showed that the parameter settings of the optimal model were FC = LQPTH and RM = 2.7, and the critical environmental variables influencing chili pepper distribution were annual mean temperature, isothermality, maximum temperature of the warmest month, and precipitation of the warmest quarter. Under current climate conditions, suitable habitats were distributed across all provinces in China, with moderately- and highly-suitable habitats concentrated in the east of the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau and south of the Inner Mongolia Plateau. Under future climate scenarios, the area of suitable habitats was expected to be larger than the current ones, except for SSP126-2050s, and reached the maximum under SSP126-2090s. The overlapping suitable habitats were concentrated in the east of the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau and south of the Inner Mongolia Plateau under various climate scenarios. In the 2050s, the centroids of suitable habitats were predicted to shift towards the southwest, except for SSP126, whereas this trend was reversed in the 2090s. Our results suggest that climate warming is conductive to the cultivation of chili pepper, and provide scientific guidance for the introduction and cultivation of chili pepper in the face of climate warming.

Rhizosphere microorganisms play an important role in the growth and health of plants. Around the world, diverse soil-borne pathogens attack Capsicum annuum causing significant damage and economic losses. This study determined whether the diversity and composition of microbial communities in the rhizosphere soil of C. annuum plants is significantly changed by wilt disease. We used the 16S rRNA gene for bacteria and the internal transcribed spacer region for fungi to characterize the rhizosphere microbiomes of healthy and wilted plants. The most abundant bacterial phyla were Proteobacteria and Gemmatimonadetes, while the most abundant fungal phyla were Ascomycota and Mucoromycota. The bacterial α-diversity did not show significant differences in richness and diversity, but did show a significant difference in evenness and dominance of species. Rare taxa were present in both healthy and wilted conditions with relative abundances < 1%. In the fungi, all evaluated estimators showed a significant reduction in the wilted condition. The β-diversity showed significant differences in the structure of bacterial and fungal communities, which were segregated according to plant health conditions. The same occurred when comparing the alpha and beta diversity of this study based on organic agriculture with that of other studies based on conventional agriculture. We observed a significant difference with estimators analyzed by segregating rhizosphere communities depending on the farming method used. Finally, the differential abundance analysis did not show significant results in the bacterial communities; however, in the fungal communities, Fusarium, Thanatephorus, Rhizopus, Curvularia, Cladosporium, and Alternaria were more abundant in the rhizosphere of wilted than healthy plants. Species from these genera have been previously reported as phytopathogens of several plants, including C. annuum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a common condition in middle-aged and elderly men. Enlargement of the prostate causes lower urinary tract symptoms. Capsaicin is a phytochemical extracted from chili peppers and exerts many pharmacological actions, such as anti-tumor and anti-inflammatory effects. Methods: Our study investigated the effect of capsaicin in vitro and in a mouse model in vivo. A prostatic stromal myofibroblast cell line (WPMY-1) was co-incubated with testosterone (1 µM) and different concentrations of capsaicin (10–100 µM) for 24 and 48 h. Capsaicin (10–100 µM) significantly inhibited testosterone-treated WPMY-1 cell growth at 48 h by MTT assay. The testosterone propionate (7.5 mg/kg)-induced BPH mouse model was used to examine the anti-proliferative effect of capsaicin. Treatment with capsaicin (10 mg/kg) for 14 days significantly attenuated prostatic hyperplasia. Finasteride was used as a positive control. Results: Capsaicin significantly decreased prostate weight and prostate index (prostate/body weight ratio) in BPH mice. The expression of 5α-reductase type II, androgen receptor (AR) and prostate specific antigen (PSA) protein expression and PSA serum were all significantly reduced in capsaicin-treated BPH mice. In addition, capsaicin also activated transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 mediated apoptosis and autophagy in BPH mice. Conclusion: These results demonstrate multiple positive effects of capsaicin in controlling prostate growth and suggest its therapeutic potential in the treatment of BPH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This multi-level study focuses on Thailand's public good agricultural practices certification standard (Q-GAP) and compares the performance of 100 certified and 229 uncertified growers regarding their pesticide use practices and the levels of pesticide residues detected in on-farm samples. Chili pepper, a crop primarily marketed domestically, was the focal point of this study conducted in the production context of Chiang Mai province. The data for the study were collected through field interview surveys and chili pepper sample collections. The collected crop samples underwent organophosphate pesticide and synthetic pyrethroid analyses using gas chromatography. Statistical analysis techniques, including one-way ANOVA, chi-square tests, probit regression, and multiple linear regression, were employed to analyze the numerical data using the Stata software. The study's findings revealed several key points. The certified farmers' main motivation for adopting Q-GAP was to meet market requirements, rather than ensuring safety assurance. They exhibited a significantly lower adoption of insecticides compared to the uncertified farmers, but no significant differences were observed for fungicide or herbicide adoption. The analysis of the pesticide residue results yielded mixed findings, making it challenging to conclude whether certified farmers have better control over pesticide residues compared to uncertified farmers. A probit regression analysis highlighted the critical importance of training for growers' adoption of the standard. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

“Autonomous fruit set” refers to self-pollination and fruit set without pollen vectors such as vibration or insects. Autonomous fruit set under high-temperature stress is an important breeding goal as climate change can reduce fruit yields in Capsicum. We screened Capsicum cultivars for autonomous fruit set ability in a greenhouse environment and investigated pollen germination, viability, pollen grains number, chlorophyll fluorescence (Fv/Fm), style length, anther cone length, and anthesis stage under high temperatures in order to identify indicator traits for screening more genotypes with autonomous fruit set ability. The fruit set of the ‘Takanotsume’ (57.7 ± 20.6%) and ‘Goshiki Kyokko’ (52.2 ± 14.2%) cultivars (both C. annuum) were higher than those of other cultivars. Correlation analysis showed that pollen germination had the highest correlation with fruit set in C. annuum cultivars (r = 0.63). These results indicate that ‘Takanotsume’ and ‘Goshiki Kyokko’ are useful cultivars for novel breeding programs focusing on autonomous fruit sets under high temperatures, and pollen germination in C. annuum was a convincing candidate for an indicator trait of autonomous fruit set ability under high temperatures.

In a study to compare the effectiveness of some essential oil nanoemulsion and bioproducts as an alternative to chemical nematicide in control of root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne incognita parasitizing on chili pepper, Capsicum annuum L. plants, in parallel with the plant growth and yield under two varying conditions; in vitro, greenhouse and plastic house (intended for commercial production). In an in vitro study, basil and mint essential oil nanoemulsions (at a rate of 5%) achieved the best effects on morality reduction percentage (100%) at droplet sizes of 48.10 nm and 97.3 nm, respectively, compared with the non-treated control. In the greenhouse, Basil and Mint essential oil nanoemulsions (at 5%) (82.59% and 81.52%) and at 3% (77.6% and 72.15%), respectively, ranked second on population reduction, with approximately the effect of Bio-arc (at 2.5 g/L) (74.81%), after Nemaphose (92.7%). A similar pattern was found in a plastic house with a noted positive effect on the increase in yield, where Basil and Mint essential oil nanoemulsions (at 5%) achieved 113.42 and 108.23, respectively.

Red chili is one of the important commodities with increasing demand. However, the quality, continuity of supply, and quantity have not been realized to meet domestic market demand. Increasing growth, yield, and quality can be pursued through superior varieties, and the effort to increase crop productivity is the application of various doses of potassium fertilizer. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the effect of various varieties and doses of potassium fertilizer on the growth, yield, and quality of red chili. The split-plot experimental design consisting of two factors was also used. The first factor is the variety, as the main plot consisting of UNPAD CB2, Tanjung 2, and Lingga. The second factor was the dose of potassium fertilizer as sub-plots which consisted of four levels, namely 0, 100, 200, and 300 kg/ha KCl. The results showed an interaction between variety and dose of potassium fertilizer on plant height at 8 weeks after planting (WAP), stem diameter at 8 WAP, and leaf area index at 9 WAP. Meanwhile, UNPAD CB2 showed the best results for 6 WAP plant height, fruit weight per plant, number of fruits per plant, fruit length, dihydrocapsaicin, total capsaicinoid, and scoville heat unit. Potassium fertilizer doses of 200 and 300 kg/ha KCl showed high yields for stem diameters of 6 WAP.

This experiment was carried out in order to study the effect of Mineral fertilizer and Sorbitol Sugar on the growth, and yield produced by chili pepper plant Barbarian F1, A factorial experiment with two factors, Mineral Fertilizer concentration 0, 0.5, 1, 1.25 and 1.5 g L-1 and Sorbitol Sugar 0 and 10 g L-1 was used in the term of (RCBD) with three replications. The results showed significant superiority of Mineral Fertilizer at 1.5 ml-1 in the plant height (59.62 cm plant-1 ), number of main branches plant-1 (5.600 branch plant-1), total leaf area (21.100 dm2 plant-1), number of fruits plant (88.25 fruit plant-1). One plant yield (0.718 kg plant-1) and total yield (23.94 tons hectare-1). The result also showed a significant increase of Sorbitol sugar in concentration 10 g L-1 in the plant height, number of branches1, total leaf area by balance, number of fruits, (58.63cm, 5.493 branch plants-1, 21.98dm2, 84.78 fruit plant-1, 0.685 kg plant-1, and 23.03 ton hectare-1 respectively). The interaction indicated that both variables were significant for all the studied traits, indicated that the response of pepper to the first variable is related to the second one. Thus, the research has concluded that the Interaction of variables, mineral fertilizer (1.5 g L-1) and Sorbitol Sugar 10 g l-1 has a great combination to increase the growth and the yield of chili pepper.

Background: Ammonium (NH4+) is a key nitrogen source supporting plant growth and development. Proteins in the ammonium transporter (AMT) family mediate the movement of NH4+ across the cell membrane. Although several studies have examined AMT genes in various plant species, few studies of the AMT gene family have been conducted in chili pepper. Results: Here, a total of eight AMT genes were identified in chili pepper, and their exon/intron structures, phylogenetic relationships, and expression patterns in response to arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) colonization were explored. Synteny analyses among chili pepper, tomato, eggplant, soybean, and Medicago revealed that the CaAMT2;1, CaAMT2.4, and CaAMT3;1 have undergone an expansion prior to the divergence of Solanaceae and Leguminosae. The expression of six AMT2 genes was either up-regulated or down-regulated in response to AM colonization. The expression of CaAMT2;1/2;2/2;3 and SlAMT2;1/2;2/2;3 was significantly up-regulated in AM fungi-inoculated roots. A 1,112-bp CaAMT2;1 promoter fragment and a 1,400-bp CaAMT2;2 promoter fragment drove the expression of the β-glucuronidase gene in the cortex of AM roots. Evaluation of AM colonization under different NH4+ concentrations revealed that a sufficient, but not excessive, supply of NH4+ promotes the growth of chili pepper and the colonization of AM. Furthermore, we demonstrated that CaAMT2;2 overexpression could mediate NH4+ uptake in tomato plants. Conclusion: In sum, our results provide new insights into the evolutionary relationships and functional divergence of chili pepper AMT genes. We also identified putative AMT genes expressed in AM symbiotic roots. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective is to develop a portable device capable of promptly identifying root rot in the field. This study employs hyperspectral imaging technology to detect root rot by analyzing spectral variations in chili pepper leaves during times of health, incubation, and disease under the stress of root rot. Two types of chili pepper seeds (Manshanhong and Shanjiao No. 4) were cultured until they had grown two to three pairs of true leaves. Subsequently, robust young plants were infected with Fusarium root rot fungi by the root-irrigation technique. The effective wavelength for discriminating between distinct stages was determined using the successive projections algorithm (SPA) after capturing hyperspectral images. The optimal index related to root rot between each normalized difference spectral index (NDSI) was obtained using the Pearson correlation coefficient. The early detection of root rot illness can be modeled using spectral information at effective wavelengths and in NDSI, together with the application of partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA), least squares support vector machine (LSSVM), and back-propagation (BP) neural network technology. The SPA-BP model demonstrates outstanding predictive capabilities compared with other models, with a classification accuracy of 92.3% for the prediction set. However, employing SPA to acquire an excessive number of efficient wave-lengths is not advantageous for immediate detection in practical field scenarios. In contrast, the NDSI (R445, R433)-BP model uses only two wavelengths of spectral information, but the prediction accuracy can reach 89.7%, which is more suitable for rapid detection of root rot. This thesis can provide theoretical support for the early detection of chili root rot and technical support for the design of a portable root rot detector.

Oral candidiasis is an infection of the oral cavity commonly caused by Candida albicans. Endodontic treatment failure has also been found to be persistent from C. albicans in the root canal system. Despite the availability of antifungal drugs, the management of Candida oral infection is difficult as it exhibits resistance to a different class of antifungal drugs. Therefore, it is necessary to discover new antifungal compounds to cure fungal infections. This study aimed to examine the antifungal susceptibility of Capsaicin, an active compound of chili pepper. The susceptibility of Capsaicin and Fluconazole was tested against the Candida species by the CLSI (M27-A3) method. The effect of Capsaicin on the fungal cell wall was examined by the ergosterol inhibitory assay and observed by the scanning electron micrograph. The MIC range of Capsaicin against Candida isolates from oral (n = 30), endodontic (n = 8), and ATCC strains (n = 2) was 12.5–50 µg/mL. The MIC range of Fluconazole (128- 4 µg/mL) significantly decreased (2- to 4-fold) after the combination with Capsaicin (MIC/4) (p < 0.05). Capsaicin (at MIC) significantly reduced the mature biofilm of C. albicans by 70 to 89% (p < 0.01). The ergosterol content of the cell wall decreased significantly with the increase in the Capsaicin dose (p < 0.01). Capsaicin showed high sensitivity against the hyphae formation and demonstrated a more than 71% reduction in mature biofilm. A fluorescence microscopy revealed the membrane disruption of Capsaicin-treated C. albicans cells, whereas a micrograph of electron microscopy showed the distorted cells' shape, ruptured cell walls, and shrinkage of cells after the release of intracellular content. The results conclude that Capsaicin had a potential antifungal activity that inhibits the ergosterol biosynthesis in the cell wall, and therefore, the cells' structure and integrity were disrupted. More importantly, Capsaicin synergistically enhanced the Fluconazole antifungal activity, and the synergistic effect might be helpful in the prevention of Fluconazole resistance development and reduced drug-dosing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sensation of pungency generated by capsaicinoids is a characteristic trait of chili peppers (Capsicum spp.), and the presence or absence of pungency is central in determining its usage as a spice or a vegetable. In the present study, we aimed to clarify the heredity and genetic factors involved in the deficiency of pungency (quite low pungency) that is uniquely observed in the Japanese chili pepper 'Shishito' (Capsicum annuum). First, the F2 population ('Shishito' × pungent variety 'Takanotsume') was used for segregation analysis, and pungency level was investigated using capsaicinoid quantification with high-performance liquid chromatography. Also, restriction site associated DNA sequencing of the F2 population was performed, and genetic map construction and quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping were implemented. The results indicated that the F2 population showed varying capsaicinoid content and two major QTLs were detected, Shql3 and Shql7, which explained 39.8 and 19.7% of the genetic variance, respectively. According to these results, the quite low pungency of 'Shishito' was a quantitative trait that involved at least the two loci. Further, this trait was completely separate from general non-pungent traits controlled by individual recessive genes, as described in previous studies. The present study is the first report to investigate the genetic mechanism of pungency deficiency in Japanese chili peppers, and our results provide new insights into the genetic regulation of pungency in chili pepper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Habitat manipulation by planting plants in the land or around crops is a way to increase the diversity of insects. The homogeneity of the agricultural landscapes leads to a decrease in insect biodiversity and ecosystem services. This study focuses on examining the diversity and ecological role of macro insects in chili pepper using barrier crops. We use mung beans, tomatoes, and eggplants as barrier crops in the practice of cultivating chili pepper. The results showed that the use of barrier crops is not obviously increasing the diversity of insects. However, chili pepper land with mung beans barrier shows the abundance and number of species were the highest. In control treatment (land without barrier crops), the composition of herbivore insects tends to be lower when compared to land using barrier crops. No clearly difference between chili pepper lands that use barrier crops and control treatment to elevate beneficial insects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a study to compare the effectiveness of some essential oil nanoemulsion and bioproducts as an alternative to chemical nematicide in control of root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne incognita parasitizing on chili pepper, Capsicum annuum L. plants, in parallel with the plant growth and yield under two varying conditions; in vitro , greenhouse and plastic house (intended for commercial production). In an in vitro study, basil and mint essential oil nanoemulsions (at a rate of 5%) achieved the best effects on morality reduction percentage (100%) at droplet sizes of 48.10 nm and 97.3 nm, respectively, compared with the non-treated control. In the greenhouse, Basil and Mint essential oil nanoemulsions (at 5%) (82.59% and 81.52%) and at 3% (77.6% and 72.15%), respectively, ranked second on population reduction, with approximately the effect of Bio-arc (at 2.5 g/L) (74.81%), after Nemaphose (92.7%). A similar pattern was found in a plastic house with a noted positive effect on the increase in yield, where Basil and Mint essential oil nanoemulsions (at 5%) achieved 113.42 and 108.23, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]