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Background: Pepper (Capsicum pubescens), one of five domesticated pepper species, has unique characteristics, such as numerous hairs on the epidermis of its leaves and stems, black seeds, and vibrant purple flowers. To date, no studies have reported on the complete assembly of the mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) of C. pubescens. Understanding the mitogenome is crucial for further research on C. pubescens. Results: In our study, we successfully assembled the first mitogenome of C. pubescens, which was assigned the GenBank accession number OP957066. This mitogenome has a length of 454,165 bp and exhibits the typical circular structure observed in most mitogenomes. We annotated a total of 70 genes, including 35 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 30 tRNA genes, 3 rRNA genes, and 2 pseudogenes. Compared to the other three pepper mitogenomes (KJ865409, KJ865410, and MN196478), C. pubescens OP957066 exhibited four unique PCGs (atp4, atp8, mttB, and rps1), while two PCGs (rpl10 and rps3) were absent. Notably, each of the three pepper mitogenomes from C. annuum (KJ865409, KJ865410, and MN196478) experienced the loss of four PCGs (atp4, atp8, mttB, and rps1). To further explore the evolutionary relationships, we reconstructed a phylogenetic tree using the mitogenomes of C. pubescens and fourteen other species. Structural comparison and synteny analysis of the above four pepper mitogenomes revealed that C. pubescens shares high sequence similarity with KJ865409 and that C. pubescens has rearranged with the other three pepper mitogenomes. Interestingly, we observed 72 similar sequences between the mitochondrial and chloroplast genomes, which accounted for 12.60% of the mitogenome, with a total length of 57,207 bp. These sequences encompassed 12 tRNA genes and the rRNA gene (rrn18). Remarkably, selective pressure analysis suggested that the nad5 gene underwent obvious positive selection. Furthermore, a single-base mutation in three genes (nad1, nad2, and nad4) resulted in an amino acid change. Conclusion: This study provides a high-quality mitogenome of pepper, providing valuable molecular data for future investigations into the exchange of genetic information between pepper organelle genomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fruit color is an important qualitative trait that greatly influences the marketability of peppers. Fruit color can be divided into two categories. Green fruit color denotes commercial maturity, whereas ripe fruit indicates physiological maturity. Herein, segregation populations were created using the 'D24' with pale green in the green fruit stage, orange in the mature fruit stage, and 'D47' with green in the green fruit stage and red in the mature fruit stage. BSA-seq and genetic linkage map analysis revealed green fruit color was linked to (gyqtl1.1) on Chr1 and (gyqtl10.1) on Chr10, while mature fruit color was linked to Chr6. Using functional annotation, sequence, and expression analysis, we speculate that an SNP mutation in the CapGLK2 gene at the gyqtl10.1 interval could initiate premature termination of translation, thus yielding green to pale green fruits in D47. Conversely, the orange color in mature D24 fruits is due to the Indel-mediated premature termination of translation of the CapCCS gene. Our research offers a theoretical foundation for choosing different varieties of pepper fruit based on their color. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key message: A plant growth regulator, 5-aminolevulinic acid, enhanced the saline-alkali tolerance via photosynthetic, oxidative-reduction, and glutathione metabolism pathways in pepper seedlings. Saline-alkali stress is a prominent environmental problem, hindering growth and development of pepper. 5-Aminolevulinic acid (ALA) application effectively improves plant growth status under various abiotic stresses. Here, we evaluated morphological, physiological, and transcriptomic differences in saline-alkali-stressed pepper seedlings after ALA application to explore the impact of ALA on saline-alkali stress. The results indicated that saline-alkali stress inhibited plant growth, decreased biomass and photosynthesis, altered the osmolyte content and antioxidant system, and increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation and proline content in pepper seedlings. Conversely, the application of exogenous ALA alleviated this damage by increasing the photosynthetic rate, osmolyte content, antioxidant enzyme activity, and antioxidants, including superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione reductase, and glutathione peroxidase, and reducing glutathione to reduce ROS accumulation and malonaldehyde content. Moreover, the transcriptomic analysis revealed the differentially expressed genes were mainly associated with photosynthesis, oxidation–reduction process, and glutathione metabolism in saline-alkali stress + ALA treatment compared to saline-alkali treatment. Among them, the change in expression level in CaGST, CaGR, and CaGPX was close to the variation of corresponding enzyme activity. Collectively, our findings revealed the alleviating effect of ALA on saline-alkali stress in pepper seedlings, broadening the application of ALA and providing a feasible strategy for utilize saline-alkali soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of China Condiment is the property of China Condiment 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.)

Salt stress is a major abiotic factor that negatively impacts the growth, performance, and secondary metabolite production in pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) plants. Brassinosteroids (BRs) play a crucial role in enhancing plant tolerance to abiotic stress, yet their potential in mitigating salt stress in pepper plants, particularly by promoting sugar and glycine betaine accumulation, remains underexplored. In this study, we investigated the effects of the foliar application of 2,4-epibrassinolide (EBR) on salt-stressed pepper seedlings. Our findings revealed that EBR treatment significantly increased the levels of proline, sugar, and glycine betaine under salt stress compared to untreated controls. Moreover, EBR enhanced the antioxidant defense mechanisms in pepper seedlings by increasing sugar and glycine betaine levels, which contributed to the reduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA) accumulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abiotic stress is one of the key factors harming global agriculture today, seriously affecting the growth and yield of vegetables. Pepper is the most widely grown vegetable in the world, with both high nutritional and economic values. Currently, the increase in global extreme weather events has heightened the frequency of abiotic stresses, such as drought, high and low temperatures, waterlogging, and high salt levels, which impairs pepper growth and development, leading to its reduced yield and quality. In this review, we summarize the research progress on the responses of pepper to abiotic stress in recent years in terms of physiology, biochemistry, molecular level, and mitigation measures. We then explore the existing problems and propose future research directions. This work provides a reference for the cultivation and development of new pepper varieties resistant to abiotic stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Temperature is an important limiting factor in the counter-seasonal cultivation of pepper. Currently, there are no studies on transcriptomic analysis of 'cold stress memory' in pepper. In this study, in order to understand the mechanism of 'cold stress memory' in pepper (Capsicum annuum L.), seedlings were subjected to the following treatments: normal temperature treatment (P0), the first cold treatment for 3 days (P3), the recovery temperature treatment for 3 days (R3), and another cold treatment for 3 days (RP3). The results showed that P3 plants wilted the most, RP3 the second and R3 the least. Leaf reactive oxygen species (ROS) and electrolyte leakage were the most in P3, the second in RP3 and the least in R3. In addition, RP3 had the highest accumulation of zeaxanthin, violaxanthin and β-cryptoxanthin, followed by P3, and R3 had the least. These results suggest that pepper seedlings are characterized by 'cold stress memory'. Transcriptomics was used to analyze the key genes and transcription factors involved in the biosynthesis of zeaxanthin, violaxanthin and β-cryptoxanthin during the formation of 'cold stress memory'. This study provides candidate genes and transcription factors for an in-depth study of the cold tolerance mechanism in pepper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pepper is a globally cultivated vegetable known for its distinct pungent flavor, which is derived from the presence of capsaicinoids, a class of unique secondary metabolites that accumulate specifically in pepper fruits. Since the accumulation of capsaicinoids is influenced by various factors, it is imperative to comprehend the metabolic regulatory mechanisms governing capsaicinoids production. This review offers a thorough examination of the factors that govern the metabolism of capsaicinoids in pepper fruit, with a specific focus on three primary facets: (1) the impact of genotype and developmental stage on capsaicinoids metabolism, (2) the influence of environmental factors on capsaicinoids metabolism, and (3) exogenous substances like methyl jasmonate, chlorophenoxyacetic acid, gibberellic acid, and salicylic acid regulate capsaicinoid metabolism. The findings of this study are expected to enhance comprehension of capsaicinoids metabolism and aid in the improvement of breeding and cultivation practices for high-quality pepper in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chloroisobromine cyanuric acid is a highly effective broad-spectrum systemic fungicide for disease control in agricultural crops. In this study, the degradation, residue levels, and potential dietary risks associated with the chloroisobromine cyanuric acid residues in two widely consumed crops, pepper and ginger, were evaluated through supervised field experiments conducted at 12 sites for pepper and 4 sites for ginger in China in 2021. A QuEChERS-LC-MS/MS method was established for quantifying cyanuric acid (CYA) in both crops. The method achieved a limit of quantification (LOQ) of 0.02 mg kg−1 for ginger and 0.05 mg kg−1 for pepper, with recovery rates ranging from 91% to 96% for ginger and 84% to 89% for pepper and the relative standard deviation of 2.9% to 11.2% for ginger and 2.8%~12.9% for pepper, respectively. The results indicated that CYA had half-lives ranging from 3.1 to 8.2 days in pepper, and the terminal CYA residues at harvest were all lower than 5 mg kg−1, the maximum residue limit established in China. Furthermore, the chronic dietary risk exposure to chloroisobromine cyanuric acid in ginger and pepper, harvested at a pre-harvest interval of three days and at the normal harvesting time after the application of 50% chloroisobromine cyanuric acid soluble powder (SP), was 37.96%, which was much lower than 100%, indicating no significant health risks to the Chinese population. This study provides basic data for establishing the MRLs and serving as a reference for developing the analytical method applicable to CYA residues in different plant matrices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bacterial leaf spot of pepper (BSP), primarily caused by Xanthomonas euvesicatoria (Xe), poses a significant challenge to pepper production worldwide. Despite its impact, the genetic diversity of this pathogen remains underexplored, which limits our understanding of its population structure. To bridge this knowledge gap, we conducted a comprehensive analysis using 103 Xe strains isolated from pepper in southwest Florida to characterize genomic and type III effector (T3E) variation in this population. Phylogenetic analysis of core genomes revealed a major distinct genetic lineage associated with amylolytic activity. This amylolytic lineage was represented in Xe strains globally. Molecular clock analysis dated the emergence of amylolytic strains in Xe to around 1972. Notably, non-amylolytic strains possessed a single base pair frameshift deletion in the amylase gene yet retained a conserved C-terminus. GUS assay revealed the expression of two open reading frames in non-amylolytic strains, one at the N-terminus and another that starts 136 base pairs upstream of the amylase gene. Analysis of T3Es in the Florida Xe population identified variation in 12 effectors, including two classes of mutations in avrBs2 that prevent AvrBs2 from triggering a hypersensitive response in Bs2-resistant pepper plants. Knowledge of T3E variation could be used for effector-targeted disease management. This study revealed previously undescribed population structure in this economically important pathogen. IMPORTANCE Bacterial leaf spot (BSP), a significant threat to pepper production globally, is primarily caused by Xanthomonas euvesicatoria (Xe). Limited genomic data has hindered detailed studies on its population diversity. This study analyzed the whole-genome sequences of 103 Xe strains from peppers in southwest Florida, along with additional global strains, to explore the pathogen's diversity. The study revealed two major distinct genetic groups based on their amylolytic activity, the ability to break down starch, with non-amylolytic strains having a mutation in the amylase gene. Additionally, two classes of mutations in the avrBs2 gene were found, leading to susceptibility in pepper plants with the Bs2 resistance gene, a commercially available resistance gene for BSP. These findings highlight the need to forecast the emergence of such strains, identify genetic factors for innovative disease management, and understand how this pathogen evolves and spreads. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Shenyang Agricultural University is the property of Journal of Shenyang Agricultural University Editorial Department 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.)

Low temperature combined with low light (LL) is an important factor limiting pepper quality and yield. 'Hang Jiao No. 2′ were used as experimental materials, and different concentrations of MeJA (T1 (0 μM), T2 (100 μM), T3 (150 μM), T4 (200 μM), T5 (250 μM) and T6 (300 μM)) were sprayed under LL stress to explore the positive effect of exogenous methyl jasmonate (MeJA) on peppers under LL stress. The photosynthetic properties, osmoregulatory substance, reactive oxygen species, antioxidant enzyme activities, and related gene expressions of the peppers were measured. Our results demonstrated that 200 μM MeJA treatment significantly increased chlorophyll content, light quantum flux per active RC electron transfer (Eto/RC), maximum captured photonic flux per active RC (TRo/RC), energy flux for electron transfer in the excitation cross section (Eto/CSm), energy flux captured by absorption in the excitation cross section (TRo/CSm), soluble protein, and soluble sugar content. Moreover, it significantly improved the maximum photochemical efficiency of PSII (Fv/Fm) and performance index based on absorbed light energy (PI (abs)) by 56.77% and 67.00%, respectively, and significantly decreased malondialdehyde (MDA) content and relative conductivity by 30.55% and 28.17%, respectively. Additionally, antioxidant enzyme activities were elevated, and the expression of the related genes was activated in pepper seedlings under stress, leading to a significant reduction in reactive oxygen species content. In conclusion, our findings confirmed that 200 μM MeJA could reduce the injury of LL to pepper leaves to the photosynthetic organs of pepper leaves, protect the integrity of the cell membrane, and further improve the tolerance of pepper seedlings to LL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Acta Agriculturae Zhejiangensis is the property of Acta Agriculturae Zhejiangensis 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.)

Copyright of Acta Agriculturae Zhejiangensis is the property of Acta Agriculturae Zhejiangensis 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.)

Copyright of Journal of Food Safety & Quality is the property of Journal of Food Safety & Quality Editorial Department 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.)

The effectiveness of agroecological management strategies (AEMS) in controlling bacterial wilt caused by Ralstonia solanacearum species complex (RSSC) remains a critical question. A quantitative review was conducted based on publications reporting agroecological bacterial wilt management practices under on‐station or on‐farm field conditions in electronic libraries, without geographical restrictions, on tomato, pepper, eggplant and potato. After applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, 48 papers were retained, resulting in 644 and 146 observations of bacterial wilt incidence (BWI) and yield, respectively. The effectiveness of AEMS for each crop was evaluated based on BWI and crop yield. The effect size was calculated as the natural logarithm of the response ratio, and confidence intervals were determined by bootstrapping. Varietal control, biological control (used of biological control agents) and combinations of many AEMS were the most reported practices, both under on‐station and on‐farm conditions. The use of plant extracts (Thymus spp., Crotalaria spp.), grafting, solarization, soil amendments (manure, compost) and crop rotations (with maize, beans) were also reported. All AEMS significantly reduced bacterial wilt incidence and increased yields compared to the untreated plots. Grafting, combinations of control methods, varietal control and biological control were the most effective agroecological practices in reducing BWI and increasing yield in tomato and eggplant. Varietal control was the most effective compared to biological control on pepper. The effectiveness of AEMS also varied with crop susceptibility and origin, climatic zone and soil acidity. This study highlights the potential of AEMS in reducing BWI and increasing crop yield in infested soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bacterial wilt caused by Ralstonia solanacearum is one of the most important diseases in solanaceous plants, including peppers. It generally tends to be more serious under warm−temperature and moist (WM) conditions than at moist room−temperature (RM) conditions. Although immunity mechanisms at room temperature have been intensively studied, the mechanisms underlying WM conditions remain poorly understood. Herein, the pepper cysteine protease CaZingipain2 was expressed and functionally characterized in pepper immunity against R. solanacearum at WM conditions and at room temperature. The results showed that CaZingipain2 localized to the nucleus and was upregulated at the transcript level in pepper plants upon R. solanacearum infection under WM conditions (RSWM). Virus−induced gene silencing of CaZingipain2 significantly increased the susceptibility of pepper plants to RSWM, and was coupled with the downregulation of CaPRP1 and CaMgst3, which are specifically related to pepper immunity against RSWM, according to our previous studies, while its overexpression significantly reduced the susceptibility of N. benethamiana plants to RSWM compared to that of wild−type plants. In addition, our data showed that CaZingipain2 also acts positively in pepper immunity against R. solanacearum infection at room temperature by upregulating the SA− and JA−responsive PR genes, including CaNPR1 and CaDEF1. All these results indicate that CaZingipain2 improves pepper immunity against R. solanacearum under WM conditions and at room temperature by regulating different PR genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The WD40 domain, one of the most abundant in eukaryotic genomes, is widely involved in plant growth and development, secondary metabolic biosynthesis, and mediating responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. WD40 repeat (WD40) protein has been systematically studied in several model plants but has not been reported in the Capsicum annuum (pepper) genome. Results: Herein, 269, 237, and 257 CaWD40 genes were identified in the Zunla, CM334, and Zhangshugang genomes, respectively. CaWD40 sequences from the Zunla genome were selected for subsequent analysis, including chromosomal localization, phylogenetic relationships, sequence characteristics, motif compositions, and expression profiling. CaWD40 proteins were unevenly distributed on 12 chromosomes, encompassing 19 tandem duplicate gene pairs. The 269 CaWD40s were divided into six main branches (A to F) with 17 different types of domain distribution. The CaWD40 gene family exhibited diverse expression patterns, and several genes were specifically expressed in flowers and seeds. Yeast two-hybrid (Y2H) and dual-luciferase assay indicated that CaWD40-91 could interact with CaAN1 and CaDYT1, suggesting its involvement in anthocyanin biosynthesis and male sterility in pepper. Conclusions: In summary, we systematically characterized the phylogeny, classification, structure, and expression of the CaWD40 gene family in pepper. Our findings provide a valuable foundation for further functional investigations on WD40 genes in pepper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Capsaicinoids are produced uniquely in pepper fruits, and its level determines the commercial quality and health-promoting properties of pepper. So, it is particularly important to increase capsaicinoids content in pepper. Rhizosphere microbiota is critical to plant growth and performance, and affected by plant varieties. However, the impact of pepper varieties with different capsaicinoids yields on the rhizosphere microbiota is poorly understood. Using high-throughput sequencing of the 16S rRNA and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region, we investigated the rhizosphere microbial community among five pepper varieties containing different capsaicinoids. Our results demonstrated that pepper variety significantly influenced the diversity and structure of rhizosphere microbial community. Bacterial diversity in varieties with high capsaicinoids content was significantly higher than in varieties with low capsaicinoids content, while fungal diversity was opposite to bacterial diversity. The correlation analysis revealed that 19 dominant bacterial genera (e.g., Chujaibacter, Rhodanobacter, and Gemmatimonas) were significantly correlated with capsaicinoids content, and nine of them were also significantly associated with soil nutrients, whereas only one fungal genus (Podospora) was significantly correlated with capsaicinoids content. Additionally, almost all genera which significantly correlated to capsaicinoids content were biomarkers of the five pepper varieties and the correlation was well corresponding to the capsaicinoids content. Overall, our results confirmed that the variety of pepper significantly affected the rhizosphere microbial community in the fields, and bacteria and fungi responded differently to capsaicinoids, which may affect the biosynthesis of capsaicinoids and contribute to further improvement of capsaicinoids production in pepper fruits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A field experiment was carried out in a private greenhouse farm located in Al-Madaen city / old Diyala Bridge / Western Tuwaitha village (N 44, 29,47-E 36, 33,11) in the agricultural season 2020/2021 to study the effect of micronutrient absorption efficiency and yield of sweet pepper was grown in calcareous soil, Dutch Olombus sweet pepper was planted and used the nutrients (manganese at a concentration of 30 mg.l-1, copper at ca concentration of 25 mg.l -1 . Iron at a concentration of 50 mg.l -1, zinc at a concentration of 60 mg.l-1, The factorial experiment was carried out according to the split-plot design with two methods of nutrients application, one by spraying on shoots foliar application and the other with irrigation water, 16 treatments were used for each method of addition, which consisted of single, double, triple and quadruple addition of the nutrients that used in the experiment, with the control treatment for each method of addition and with three replicates for each treatment, there were 30 additions duration of the experiment, the first edition took place after two weeks of cultivation in the field, the period between each addition was one week, and the macronutrients N, P, K were used in concentrations (425 Kg N ha-1,175kg P ha-1 and 250 kg K ha-1 ), the results of highest cumulative yield was for the Fe+ Zn+ Mn treatment which added by spraying on shoots, which amounted to 159.15 Mg h -1 ., It also showed a highly significant superiority for all treatments of adding micronutrients sprayed on the shoot over the corresponding treatments of adding these nutrients with irrigation water on the efficiency of absorption of micronutrients in the fruits of the sweet pepper plant. The Fe+ Mn treatment gave the highest value for the iron absorption efficiency of 341.3%, while the Zn+ Mn+ Cu treatment gave the highest value for the zinc absorption efficiency of 113.17%. As for the manganese absorption efficiency, the Fe+ Mn treatment gave the highest value of 517.2%. As for the absorption efficiency of copper, the Fe+ Mn+ Cu treatment gave the highest value of 217.2%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

【Objective】The structure and function of UGT gene family members in pepper were identified and analyzed, laying the foundation for subsequent research.【Method】BioEdit, BLASTP and Pfam were used to align and search for UGT members in pepper. CDD and HMMER databases were used to verify conserved domains. ExPASy, Cell PLOC, MAGA X, MG2C, GSDS, and STRING were used to analyze and predict protein physicochemical properties, phylogeny, chromosome localization, gene structure and protein interaction. Transcriptome data and real-time PCR were used to analyze the expression pattern of UGT gene in various organs during the development of various organs.【Result】The prediction results showed that the 140 CaUGTs family members identified from the pepper gene family encoded amino acids in the range of 253-534 and the isoelectric point in the range of 4.7-8.45, most of the CaUGTs were located outside the cell, and a few were located in the plasma membrane and chloroplasts, and were distributed in 17 groups and mapped on 13 chromosomes, of which 25 members were located in chrom12, and all members contained the conserved domains motif 1 and motif 3. They responded to the action elements related to plant growth and development, stress. Real-time quantitative PCR analysis of the expression patterns of UGT gene in pepper under different tissues, stress and hormone response showed that UGT gene was of tissue-specific expression differences, and the expression of UGT gene significantly increased or decreased under the conditions of ABA, GA3, high and low temperature stress, and CaUGTs members might play different roles in specific stages of development, and may be involved in regulating the defense response under stress in pepper. 【Conclusion】The distribution and structure of the 140 pepper UGT members are diverse, while the members within the group are highly similar, indicating that the CaUGTs gene may respond to abiotic stress during the growth and development of pepper plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optimizing agricultural crop production involves utilizing proper irrigation and fertilization techniques. A two-year experiment conducted in the Tselemty district during the off seasons of 2019 and 2020 aimed to assess the impact of varying irrigation levels and nitrogen fertilizer application rates on the growth, yield, and crop water productivity of pepper. The study included three irrigation levels (75%, 100%, and 125% of the required irrigation) and three nitrogen fertilizer application rates (75%, 100%, and 125% of the recommended amount). Analysis of the results using Gen-Stat software revealed that most pepper yield attributes were not significantly affected by the different irrigation and fertilizer levels. However, the marketable yield showed significant variation based on the combined application rates. The research indicates that, under ideal circumstances, the optimal approach for pepper growers is a combination of meeting 100% of the irrigation requirement and applying 100% of the recommended nitrogen fertilizer rate. Nevertheless, in scenarios where water resources are limited and fertilizer expenses are high, a reduced irrigation level of 75% of the requirement coupled with 75% of the recommended nitrogen fertilizer rate could be a viable alternative that does not lead to a substantial decrease in yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental factors such as temperature, humidity, light, and CO2 influence plant growth, and unfavorable environmental conditions cause stress in plants, producing symptoms in their early growth stages. The increasing importance of optimizing crop management strategies has led to a rising demand for the precise evaluation of stress symptoms during early plant growth. Advanced technologies are transforming plant health monitoring through enabling image-based stress analysis. Machine learning (ML) models can effectively identify the important features and morphological changes connected with various stress conditions through the use of large datasets acquired from high-resolution plant images. Therefore, the objective of this study was to develop a method for classifying the early-stage stress symptoms of pepper seedlings and enabling their identification and quantification using image processing and a support vector machine (SVM). Two-week-old pepper seedlings were grown under different temperatures (20, 25, and 30 °C), light intensity levels (50, 250, and 450 µmol m−2s−1), and day–night hours (8/16, 10/14, and 16/8) in five controlled plant growth chambers. Images of the seedling canopies were captured daily using a low-cost red, green, and blue (RGB) camera over a two-week period. Eighteen color features, nine texture features using the gray-level co-occurrence matrix (GLCM), and one morphological feature were extracted from each image. A two-way ANOVA and multiple mean comparison (Duncan) analysis were used to determine the statistical significance of the treatment effects. To reduce feature overlap, sequential feature selection (SFS) was applied, and a support vector machine (SVM) was used for stress classification. The SFS method was used to identify the optimal features for the classification model, leading to substantial increases in stress classification accuracy. The SVM model, using these selected features, achieved a classification accuracy of 82% without the SFS and 86% with the SFS. To address overfitting, 5- and 10-fold cross-validation were used, resulting in MAEs of 0.138 and 0.163 for the polynomial kernel, respectively. The SVM model, evaluated with the ROC curve and confusion matrix, achieved a classification accuracy of 85%. This classification approach enables real-time stress monitoring, allowing growers to optimize environmental conditions and enhance seedling growth. Future directions include integrating this system into automated cultivation environments to enable continuous, efficient stress monitoring and response, further improving crop management and productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phytochrome-interacting factor (PIF) is a subfamily of the basic helix–loop–helix (bHLH) transcription factors (TFs) and plays key roles in plant responses to diverse biotic and abiotic stresses. In this work, a PIF gene named CaPIF7a was cloned and its role in the regulation of pepper's resistance to Phytophthora capsici infection (PCI) was studied. The cloned CaPIF7a gene has a CDS length of 1383 bp, encodes a hydrophilic protein containing bHLH and APB characteristic domains, and subcellular localization results showed that CaPIF7a was located in the nucleus. Expression analysis showed that CaPIF7a gene has the highest expression level in leaf, and its expression was regulated under PCI and salicylic acid (SA) treatment. Silencing of CaPIF7a in pepper plants by virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) reduces the resistance of pepper to PCI, with decreased expression of SA-responsive and SA-biosynthesis genes and obviously decreased SA content. DNA affinity purification sequencing (DAP-seq) was employed to identify the potential targets of CaPIF7a, and yeast one-hybrid (Y1H) verified that CaPIF7a could regulate the expression of CaHY5 by binding its promoter. These findings indicated that CaPIF7a might be a key modulator in plant immune response and presented a possible regulatory network of CaPIF7a in PCI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salt stress imposes significant plant limitations, altering their molecular, physiological, and biochemical functions. Pepper, a valuable herbaceous plant species of the Solanaceae family, is particularly susceptible to salt stress. This study aimed to elucidate the physiological and molecular mechanisms that contribute to the development of salt tolerance in two pepper species (Capsicum baccatum (moderate salt tolerant) and Capsicum chinense (salt sensitive)) through a transcriptome and weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) approach to provide detailed insights. A continuous increase in malondialdehyde (MDA) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) levels in C. chinense and higher activities of catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and peroxidase (POD) in C. baccatum indicated more tissue damage in C. chinense than in C. baccatum. In transcriptome analysis, we identified 39 DEGs related to salt stress. Meanwhile, KEGG pathway analysis revealed enrichment of MAPK and hormone signaling pathways, with six DEGs each. Through WGCNA, the ME.red module was identified as positively correlated. Moreover, 10 genes, A-ARR (CQW23_24856), CHIb (CQW23_04881), ERF1b (CQW23_08898), PP2C (CQW23_15893), ABI5 (CQW23_29948), P450 (CQW23_16085), Aldedh1 (CQW23_06433), GDA (CQW23_12764), Aldedh2 (CQW23_14182), and Aldedh3 (CQW23_11481), were validated by qRT-PCR. This study provides valuable insights into the genetic mechanisms underlying salt stress tolerance in pepper. It offers potential targets for future breeding efforts to enhance salt stress resilience in this crop. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of organic fertilizer "cow manure" applications on quantitative and qualitative traits of hot pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) evaluated under field conditions. Treatments consisted of four levels of cow manure (0, 5, 10, and 15 t ha−1) for both the 2017 and 2018 growing seasons. The results indicated that cow manure applied at 15 t ha−1 resulted in the highest number of fruits per plant, antioxidant activities, and carbohydrate contents. At the same time, the lowest values were recorded in the control treatment in 2017 and 2018 (respectively). In both years, the highest plant height, number of lateral branches, number of nodes, fruit yield per plant, fruit fresh weight, and total flavonoids were obtained in 10 t ha−1 of cow manure treatment. The lycopene contents were 47 and 60% higher in 5 t ha−1 of cow dung fertilizer than control treatments in both seasons. The minimum β –Carotene was recorded in control, and the maximum was observed in 5 t ha−1 of cow manure fertilizer in both years. The results confirm that cow manure positively affects hot peppers' vegetative and reproductive traits and antioxidant activity under field conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: A few Capsicum (pepper) species produce yellow‐colored floral nectar, but the chemical identity and biological function of the yellow pigment are unknown.A combination of analytical biochemistry techniques was used to identify the pigment that gives Capsicum baccatum and Capsicum pubescens nectars their yellow color. Microbial growth assays, visual modeling, and honey bee preference tests for artificial nectars containing riboflavin were used to assess potential biological roles for the nectar pigment.High concentrations of riboflavin (vitamin B2) give the nectars their intense yellow color. Nectars containing riboflavin generate reactive oxygen species when exposed to light and reduce microbial growth. Visual modeling also indicates that the yellow color is highly conspicuous to bees within the context of the flower. Lastly, field experiments demonstrate that honey bees prefer artificial nectars containing riboflavin.Some Capsicum nectars contain a yellow‐colored vitamin that appears to play roles in (1) limiting microbial growth, (2) the visual attraction of bees, and (3) as a reward to nectar‐feeding flower visitors (potential pollinators), which is especially interesting since riboflavin is an essential nutrient for brood rearing in insects. These results cumulatively suggest that the riboflavin found in some Capsicum nectars has several functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: In current investigation, the effect of the breads enriched with red pepper powder at different concentrations (0.5%, 1.0%, 1.5% and 2.0%) on colour parameters, antioxidant activity, total phenolics, flavonoids, phenolic components, minerals and sensory properties was revealed. While the brightness results of the breads L* decreased, there was a significant increase in the a* and b* values. As the concentration of the pepper powder added to bread dough increased, a significant increase was observed in bioactive compounds such as total phenol, antioxidant activity and flavonoids in the bread. It was determined that bread enriched with 1% red pepper powder received the highest sensory scores compared to other breads. The phenolic compound amounts of the breads showed some changes based on the pepper concentrations. Protein amounts of the wheat bread fortified with red pepper powder were specified to be between 9.32 (0.5%) and 9.79% (control). Phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) quantities of the breads were assessed to be between 745.27 mg kg−1 (0.5%) and 846.69 mg kg−1 (2.0%) to 2266.63 mg kg−1 (control) and 2907.38 mg kg−1 (2.0%), respectively. The flavour, smell, colour and texture values of the pepper bread samples varied depending on the added pepper concentration. As a result, the most liked formulation by the consumers was the pepper bread with 1.0% added, followed by 1.5%, 2.0%, 0.5% in decreasing order. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Known as the "King of Spice", pepper (Piper nigrum) is the most widely used and traded agricultural product in the world. In Sarawak, pepper is listed as the few industrial crops in producing and contributing the most to the gross domestic product (GDP) of the country, Malaysia. However, the recent price fluctuation in the global pepper market has caused some farmers to abandon pepper farms due to the lower pepper prices against the high cost of input materials and farm maintenance, in addition to limited marketing choices and bargaining power when dealing with buyers due to their geographic remoteness, small production quantity, and variable product. To improve the circumstances, the use of blockchain technology with Byzantine-based consensus algorithm is proposed in this paper to minimize some of the constraints faced by the sniallholder farmers. With the PBFT consensus algorithm on-board, the blockcliain network (BCN) operates without miners as it relies on the message-transfer mechanism to achieve the total consensus. Besides, the PBFT consensus algorithm with varying network structures were evaluated. Upon comparison between network structures, the group network structure dominated the entirety of the experiment and presented as the proposed network structure, with the addition of specific nodes such as relay, storage, administer and brackets: bench and penalty to facilitate and maintain the longevity of the BCN. The implementation of blockchain technology in Sarawak's pepper industry has the potential to improve the linkages and cohesion between pepper stakeholders but its overall integration would have to be further explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the effects of exogenous nitric oxide (NO) on growth, antioxidant enzymes, and key nitrogen metabolism enzymes in pepper seedlings under high-temperature stress. In addition, targeted metabolomics was used to study the differential accumulation of amino acid metabolites, thereby providing theoretical support for the use of exogenous substances to mitigate high-temperature stress damage in plants. The results showed that high-temperature stress increased soluble sugar, soluble protein, amino acids, proline, malondialdehyde (MDA), and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) content, electrolyte leakage, and superoxide anion (O2·-) production rate while altering the activities of antioxidant enzymes [superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POD) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX)] and key nitrogen metabolism enzymes [nitrate reductase (NR), glutamine synthetase (GS), glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH), and nitric oxide synthase (NOS)]. c-PTIO (2-phenyl-4,4,5,5-tetramethylimidazoline-1-oxyl 3-oxide, an NO scavenger) exacerbates oxidative stress and further reduces NO content and enzyme activities. However, exogenous SNP (sodium nitroprusside, an NO donor) effectively alleviated these adverse effects by enhancing antioxidant defense mechanisms, increasing NO content, and normalizing amino acid metabolite levels (kynurenine, N-acetyl-L-tyrosine, L-methionine, urea, and creatine), thereby maintaining normal plant growth. These findings suggest that SNP can enhance stress tolerance in pepper seedlings by improving osmotic regulation, antioxidant capacity, and nitrogen metabolism, effectively mitigating the damage caused by high-temperature stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Abstract Background Pepper (Capsicum pubescens), one of five domesticated pepper species, has unique characteristics, such as numerous hairs on the epidermis of its leaves and stems, black seeds, and vibrant purple flowers. To date, no studies have reported on the complete assembly of the mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) of C. pubescens. Understanding the mitogenome is crucial for further research on C. pubescens. Results In our study, we successfully assembled the first mitogenome of C. pubescens, which was assigned the GenBank accession number OP957066. This mitogenome has a length of 454,165 bp and exhibits the typical circular structure observed in most mitogenomes. We annotated a total of 70 genes, including 35 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 30 tRNA genes, 3 rRNA genes, and 2 pseudogenes. Compared to the other three pepper mitogenomes (KJ865409, KJ865410, and MN196478), C. pubescens OP957066 exhibited four unique PCGs (atp4, atp8, mttB, and rps1), while two PCGs (rpl10 and rps3) were absent. Notably, each of the three pepper mitogenomes from C. annuum (KJ865409, KJ865410, and MN196478) experienced the loss of four PCGs (atp4, atp8, mttB, and rps1). To further explore the evolutionary relationships, we reconstructed a phylogenetic tree using the mitogenomes of C. pubescens and fourteen other species. Structural comparison and synteny analysis of the above four pepper mitogenomes revealed that C. pubescens shares high sequence similarity with KJ865409 and that C. pubescens has rearranged with the other three pepper mitogenomes. Interestingly, we observed 72 similar sequences between the mitochondrial and chloroplast genomes, which accounted for 12.60% of the mitogenome, with a total length of 57,207 bp. These sequences encompassed 12 tRNA genes and the rRNA gene (rrn18). Remarkably, selective pressure analysis suggested that the nad5 gene underwent obvious positive selection. Furthermore, a single-base mutation in three genes (nad1, nad2, and nad4) resulted in an amino acid change. Conclusion This study provides a high-quality mitogenome of pepper, providing valuable molecular data for future investigations into the exchange of genetic information between pepper organelle genomes.

Abstract Temperature is an important limiting factor in the counter-seasonal cultivation of pepper. Currently, there are no studies on transcriptomic analysis of ‘cold stress memory’ in pepper. In this study, in order to understand the mechanism of ‘cold stress memory’ in pepper (Capsicum annuum L.), seedlings were subjected to the following treatments: normal temperature treatment (P0), the first cold treatment for 3 days (P3), the recovery temperature treatment for 3 days (R3), and another cold treatment for 3 days (RP3). The results showed that P3 plants wilted the most, RP3 the second and R3 the least. Leaf reactive oxygen species (ROS) and electrolyte leakage were the most in P3, the second in RP3 and the least in R3. In addition, RP3 had the highest accumulation of zeaxanthin, violaxanthin and β-cryptoxanthin, followed by P3, and R3 had the least. These results suggest that pepper seedlings are characterized by ‘cold stress memory’. Transcriptomics was used to analyze the key genes and transcription factors involved in the biosynthesis of zeaxanthin, violaxanthin and β-cryptoxanthin during the formation of ‘cold stress memory’. This study provides candidate genes and transcription factors for an in-depth study of the cold tolerance mechanism in pepper.

Abstract [Objective] PEX (pollen extensin-like) gene is involved in controlling pollen development, which plays a crucial role in embryogenesis of pollen microspores and haploid culture. In this study, the authors isolated the CaPEX3 gene from pepper and analyzed its protein structure and expression pattern, which provides a theoretical foundation for further investigation into the function of the CaPEX3 gene. [Methods] CaPEX3 was cloned by PCR, and its protein structure, evolution, and gene regulation were analyzed by bioinformatics. Expression of CaPEX3 in different tissues and pollen of different varieties were detected by qRT-PCR. Pollen viability of different pepper varieties was detected by staining method and their relationship with CaPEX3 expression was analyzed. [Results] The coding region of CaPEX3 was 1 581 bp in length, encoding 526 amino acids, which belongs to the LRX (leucine-rich repeats/extensins) gene family. The protein had phosphorylation and glycosylation sites, signaling peptides, and transmembrane domains. The expression level of CaPEX3 was the highest in flowers, and the gene expression was higher in tissues with high pollen vitality. The regulatory network predicted that CaPEX3 might be involved in the regulation of pollen development through the action of genes related to flower development. [Conclusion] CaPEX3 was specifically expressed in flowers, and a correlation was observed between its expression level and the activity of pollen grains. The analysis of gene expression and the construction of related vectors provided a theoretical foundation and technical support for the subsequent investigation of gene function and mechanism of CaPEX3

Abstract Background The growth and yield of pepper, a typical temperature-loving vegetable, are limited by low-temperature environments. Using low-temperature sensitive ‘Hangjiao No. 4’ (Capsicum annuum L.) as experimental material, this study analyzed the changes in plant growth and photosynthesis under different treatments: normal control (NT), low-temperature stress alone (LT), low-temperature stress in strigolactone pretreated plants (SL_LT), and low-temperature stress in strigolactone biosynthesis inhibitor pretreated plants (Tis_LT). Results SL pretreatment increased the net photosynthetic rate (Pn) and PSII actual photochemical efficiency (φPSII), reducing the inhibition of LT on the growth of pepper by 17.44% (dry weight of shoot). Due to promoting the accumulation of carotenoids, such as lutein, and the de-epoxidation of the xanthophyll cycle [(Z + A)/(Z + A + V)] by strigolactone after long-term low-temperature stress (120 h), non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) of pepper was increased to reduce the excess excitation energy [(1-qP)/NPQ] and the photoinhibition degree (Fv/Fm) of pepper seedlings under long-term low-temperature stress was alleviated. Twelve cDNA libraries were constructed from pepper leaves by transcriptome sequencing. There were 8776 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), including 4473 (51.0%) upregulated and 4303 (49.0%) downregulated genes. Gene ontology pathway annotation showed that based on LT, the DEGs of SL_LT and Tis_LT were significantly enriched in the cellular component, which is mainly related to the photosystem and thylakoids. Further analysis of the porphyrin and chlorophyll biosynthesis, carotenoid biosynthesis, photosynthesis-antenna protein, and photosynthetic metabolic pathways and the Calvin cycle under low-temperature stress highlighted 18, 15, 21, 29, and 31 DEGs for further study, which were almost all highly expressed under SL_LT treatment and moderately expressed under LT treatment, whereas Tis_LT showed low expression. Conclusion The positive regulatory effect of SLs on the low-temperature tolerance of pepper seedlings was confirmed. This study provided new insights for the development of temperature-tolerant pepper lines through breeding programs.

To address growing concerns about sustainable agriculture and waste management, this study aimed to explore the viability of tea waste as an eco-friendly alternative substrate for cultivating Charleston peppers (Capsicum annuum), with the goal of optimizing plant growth and yield while reducing soil dependence, lowering cultivation costs, and repurposing agro-industrial waste. Six different substrate combinations were evaluated: 1) Tea waste, 2) Tea waste + Manure, 3) Tea waste + Soil, 4) Manure + Soil, 5) Tea waste + Manure + Soil, and 6) Tea waste + Manure + Soil + Perlite. Data were analyzed using both multivariate and univariate analyses to assess significant differences among treatments. Notably, significant differences in stem diameter were observed among plants grown on different substrates (one-way MANOVA, p

Abstract Background The WD40 domain, one of the most abundant in eukaryotic genomes, is widely involved in plant growth and development, secondary metabolic biosynthesis, and mediating responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. WD40 repeat (WD40) protein has been systematically studied in several model plants but has not been reported in the Capsicum annuum (pepper) genome. Results Herein, 269, 237, and 257 CaWD40 genes were identified in the Zunla, CM334, and Zhangshugang genomes, respectively. CaWD40 sequences from the Zunla genome were selected for subsequent analysis, including chromosomal localization, phylogenetic relationships, sequence characteristics, motif compositions, and expression profiling. CaWD40 proteins were unevenly distributed on 12 chromosomes, encompassing 19 tandem duplicate gene pairs. The 269 CaWD40s were divided into six main branches (A to F) with 17 different types of domain distribution. The CaWD40 gene family exhibited diverse expression patterns, and several genes were specifically expressed in flowers and seeds. Yeast two-hybrid (Y2H) and dual-luciferase assay indicated that CaWD40-91 could interact with CaAN1 and CaDYT1, suggesting its involvement in anthocyanin biosynthesis and male sterility in pepper. Conclusions In summary, we systematically characterized the phylogeny, classification, structure, and expression of the CaWD40 gene family in pepper. Our findings provide a valuable foundation for further functional investigations on WD40 genes in pepper.

Meloidogyne hispanica infects many economically important crops worldwide and has been listed as a quarantine pest in many countries and as an invasive alien species in China. Accurate identification of this pathogen is essential for the establishment of efficient and sustainable integrated pest management programs. During the field investigations in Hainan, China, we discovered galled roots caused by nematode infestation in the pepper field. Further identification of the nematode isolated from the root galls, including morphological and molecular techniques, confirmed that the isolated population infesting the pepper roots belonged to the species M. hispanica. Upon artificial inoculation under greenhouse conditions, the isolated nematodes induced symptoms that closely resembled those observed in the field. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first documented case of M. hispanica parasitizing pepper crops in China, which will provide valuable basis to formulate targeted control strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The escalating global population, diminishing agricultural lands, and the overarching global climate crisis are significantly impacting pepper cultivation. These challenges exacerbate the vulnerability of pepper plants to various biotic and abiotic factors, particularly viral diseases, resulting in diminished yield and quality. Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV), a notable concern for peppers in the Solanaceae family, is causing substantial quality and yield losses, with no effective chemical control methods currently available. This study focuses on exploring the genetic structure of CMV isolates obtained from pepper production areas in Kilis province and comparing these regions through the High-Resolution Melting (HRM) method. CMV isolates, cultivated in tobacco plants, have their partial coat protein sequences compared with those of other CMV isolates registered in the gene bank. The nucleotide sequences of identified CMV isolates are phylogenetically grouped and compared using an HRM graph. The HRM graph effectively distinguishes Kilis 3 and Kilis 4 isolates, clustered similarly to sequence patterns, from other isolates. The study highlights the utility of HRM analyses in identifying differences between isolates before determining sequence patterns. In the gene bank comparison, Kilis CMV isolates distinguished from others. Similarities were observed with isolates from Iran's Balsam (Impatiens balsamina - LC066478), Türkiye's Radish (Raphanus sativus - LC0665051), and Wild Turnip (Rapistrum rugosum - LC066514, LC066511, LC066517). The study found that Kilis 7 CMV isolate, transferred mechanically to 24 different pepper genotypes (C. annuum) from the local population, revealed susceptibility to CMV in the 24 lines developed from the Elbeyli population in Kilis province.

Abstract [Objective] The study aims to explore the expression and function of the RIN gene, encoding a MADS-box, and analyze its impact on the metabolism of carotenoids in pepper. [Methods] Based on the fruit development transcriptome of pepper, the full-length CDS of the MADS-box transcription factor Ca- RIN gene related to chili ripening was cloned. The bioinformatics, expression pattern, subcellular localization, and transcriptional activation activity were examined, and the effects of VIGS-induced CaRIN gene silencing on carotenoid metabolism were investigated. [Results] (1) The CDS of CaRIN gene was 732 bp in length. CaRIN gene encoded a protein containing 243 amino acids with a molecular mass of 27.95 kD and an isoelectric point (pI) of 7.06. CaRIN protein had a typical MEF2_ like MADS domain, belonging to the MICK type transcription factor. (2) CaRIN gene was mainly expressed in flowers and fruits with tissue specificity. CaRIN was located in the nucleus and had transcriptional activation activity. (3) The promoter of CaRIN gene had several hormone response elements such as ABRE, and exogenous ABA and ethephon accelerated the fruit to turn red and induced the high expression of CaRIN and related genes. (4) After VIGS-induced gene silencing of CaRIN , the expression level of PSY1, CCS, PDS, CRTZ, LCYB, and NCED1, genes involved in carotenoid metabolic pathway, was decreased by 0.27-0.59 times, and the total carotenoid content in fruits (0.379 mg/g) was decreased compared with the control (0.650 mg/g). [Conclusion] CaRIN may be an important regulatory factor of carotenoid metabolism in capsicum fruits.

Pepper is one of the important vegetable crops and condiments in China. Carrying out researches on pepper genomics is of great significance for understanding the genetics and evolution of peppers, tapping important functional genes of peppers, and using biotechnology to conduct genetic improvement of varieties. The release of the draft pepper genomic map in 2014 marked the entry of pepper into an era of genomics research. Over the past decade, remarkable progress has been made in pepper genomics research, revealing the basic features of pepper genome deeply and constructing a preliminary pan-genome of pepper. Meanwhile, pepper genomics has been widely applied in exploring the interspecific differentiation and gene introgression of pepper, analyzing the evolutionary mechanism of pepper important traits, elucidating the genetic diversity of pepper, revealing the characteristics of artificial domestication of pepper, tracing the history of global range expansion and dissemination of pepper, and exploring the genes controlling the formation of important traits of pepper and so on. In this paper, we review and summarize the progress made in pepper genomics and its applications over the past 10 years, and look forward to the construction of a higher-quality pepper reference genome and pan-genome as well as the improvement of the research platform for pepper functional genomics, with an aim to provide a reference for pepper genomics and related applications.

【Objective】The study was carried out to explore the distribution patterns of rhizospheric microbial communities in different resistant pepper varieties, aiming to provide a basis for the targeted optimization of rhizospheric microbial community structure of pepper.【Method】Taking the susceptible pepper variety 'Hailan 99' (HL99) and the resistant variety 'Sanxiaqing' (SSQ) as experimental materials, high-throughput sequencing technology was employed to analyze and compare the effects of susceptible and non-susceptible soil environments on the community diversity, species composition, correlation networks and function of bacteria and fungi in the rhizosphere soil of different disease-resistant pepper plants.【Result】Through high-throughput sequencing, a total of 66 617 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) from soil bacterial samples were obtained, among which the dominant phyla were Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes, with the relative abundances of approximately 40.1% and 15.3%, respectively. From soil fungal samples, 2 948 OTUs were obtained, among which the dominant phylum was Ascomycota, with an average relative abundance of approximately 47.8%. The rhizospheric microbial community structure and species composition of pepper varieties showed significant differences under different soil conditions. Under susceptible soil conditions, the diversity of bacterial communities in pepper rhizosphere decreased, while the diversity of fungal communities increased. The bacterial OTUs decreased by 6.5%-7.8%, and fungal OTUs increased by 8.8%-9.8%. The relative abundance of Fusarium fungi was significantly higher in the susceptible group (5.0%) compared with that in the resistant group (4.8%), while the relative abundance of beneficial fungi like Mortierella and Trichoderma and beneficial bacteria like Pseudomonas and Bacillus was significantly lower in the susceptible group than that in the resistant group. Overall, under the susceptible soil conditions, the abundance of beneficial rhizosphere fungi and bacteria in the resistant group was higher than that in the susceptible group, contributing to a better soil micro-ecological environment. Based on species abundance tables, the correlation relationships of fungi-fungi, fungi-bacteria and bacteria-bacteria species were calculated respectively at the genus level. The results indicated that the rhizosphere microorganisms of pepper formed a complex ecological network, with high co-occurrence between fungi-fungi and fungi-bacteria (with a positive correlation percentage higher than 50%), suggesting that cooperative relationships outweighed competitive ones. The bacteria-bacteria network structure was more complex, with a positive correlation percentage of about 49.9%.【Conclusion】The rhizospheric microbial community structures of different resistant varieties exhibit significant differences under different soil conditions. The interaction of rhizosphere microorganisms forms a complex microbial ecological network structure. The relative abundance of beneficial fungi and bacteria is higher in the resistant variety than that in the susceptible variety, which suppresses more pathogenic microbes, leading to a healthier soil micro-ecological environment. The key groups identified in this study, including Fusarium, Verticillium, Trichoderma, Bacillus and Pseudomonas, will provide important information for the targeted optimization of rhizospheric microbial community structures and offer crucial theoretical references for the biological control of soil-borne diseases.

【Objective】As one of the four major nutrients required by plants, sulfur is a crucial for plant growth and development, playing a pivotal role in enhancing plant resistance against both biotic and abiotic stresses. Sulfate transporters (SULTR) serve as primary regulators in the absorption and transport of sulfate in plants, playing an irreplaceable role in this process. The understanding of the fundamental characteristics and expression patterns of CaSULTR genes could help to provide theoretical support for advancing researches on SULTR in peppers.【Method】Based on the pepper genome, members of the epper CaSULTR gene family were identified at the whole-genome level. A comprehensive analysis of their physicochemical properties, conserved Motifs and gene structures was conducted. By utilizing publicly available transcriptome data and qPCR technology, the expression patterns of CaSULTR genes under various hormone stress conditions were analyzed. Additionally, differentially expressed genes were cloned for further investigation.【Result】A total of 13 CaSULTR genes were identified and designated as CaSULTR1;1~1;3, CaSULTR2;1~2;2, CaSULTR3;1~3;7 and CaSULTR4;1. These genes were distributed on seven chromosomes in pepper, with amino acid lengths ranging from 641 to 947 aa, molecular weights from 69.65 to 104.36 kD, and isoelectric points between 8.42 to 9.62. Characterized by the hydrophobicity, CaSULTR proteins were classified into four subgroups (Ⅰ-Ⅳ), with subgroup Ⅲ containing the highest number of members. Within the same subgroup, members exhibited relatively small differences in physicochemical properties, and Motifs and gene structures were relatively conserved. With the exception of CaSULTR2;1 and CaSULTR2;2, all members possessed Motif 5. Tissue expression analysis indicated that CaSULTR genes may be involved in the development of organs such as leaves, fruits and flowers, with CaSULTR4;1 exhibiting expression in leaves, roots and stems. Expression profile analysis under hormone stress, coupled with qPCR results, revealed significant up-regulation of CaSULTR1;1 and CaSULTR3;4 under hormone induction.【Conclusion】The expression patterns of CaSULTR genes under hormone stress are identified, suggesting that of CaSULTR1;1 and CaSULTR3;4 may be involved in the regulation of sulfur metabolism by exogenous hormones.

Abstract Pepper agronomic traits serve as pivotal indicators for characterizing germplasm attributes and correlations. It is important to study differential genotypic variation through phenotypic differences of target traits. Whole genome resequencing was used to sequence the whole genome among different individuals of species with known reference genomes and annotations, and based on this, differential analyses of individuals or populations were carried out to identify SNPs for agronomic traits related to pepper. This study conducted a genome-wide association study encompassing 26 key agronomic traits in 182 upward-growing fruits of C. frutescens and C. annuum. The population structure (phylogenetics, population structure, population principal component analysis, genetic relationship) and linkage disequilibrium analysis were realized to ensure the accuracy and reliability of GWAS results, and the optimal statistical model was determined. A total of 929 SNPs significantly associated with 26 agronomic traits, were identified, alongside the detection of 519 candidate genes within 100 kb region adjacent to these SNPs. Additionally, through gene annotation and expression pattern scrutiny, genes such as GAUT1, COP10, and DDB1 correlated with fruit traits in Capsicum frutescens and Capsicum annuum were validated via qRT-PCR. In the CH20 (Capsicum annuum) and YB-4 (Capsicum frutescens) cultivars, GAUT1 and COP10 were cloned with cDNA lengths of 1065 bp and 561 bp, respectively, exhibiting only a small number of single nucleotide variations and nucleotide deletions. This validation provides a robust reference for molecular marker-assisted breeding of pepper agronomic traits, offering both genetic resources and theoretical foundations for future endeavors in molecular marker-assisted breeding for pepper.

Yi Zhang,1,2,* Zhang-Rui Liang,1,3,* Yang Xiao,4 Yi-Shi Li,4 Bin-Jie Fu,1 Zhi-Gang Chu1 1Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Radiology, Chongqing Jiangjin Second People’s Hospital, Chongqing Jiangjin Cancer Hospital, Chongqing, 402260, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, 710061, People’s Republic of China; 4Department of Respiratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Bin-Jie Fu; Zhi-Gang Chu, Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical, University, 1# Youyi Road, Yuanjiagang, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, 400016, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86 18883851162 ; +86 18723032809, Fax +86 23 68811487, Email binjie_fu@163.com; chuzg0815@163.comPurpose: To explore the computed tomography (CT) features of bronchopneumonia caused by pepper aspiration to improve the diagnosis.Materials and Methods: 28 adult patients diagnosed with obstructive pneumonia caused by pepper aspiration from January 2016 to September 2022 were enrolled. The CT characteristics of bronchial changes and pulmonary lesions caused by pepper were analyzed and summarized.Results: Among 28 patients, the most common symptom was cough (26, 92.9%), followed by expectoration (23, 82.1%). Bronchoscopy revealed that peppers were mainly found in the bronchus of the right lower lobe (n = 18, 64.3%), followed by the bronchus of the left lower lobe (n = 5, 17.9%). In combination with bronchoscopy results, the pepper in the bronchus manifested as circular or V/U-shaped high-density, localized soft tissue, and flocculent opacification in 8 (28.6%), 16 (57.1%), and 3 (10.7%) cases on CT images, respectively. The bronchial wall around the pepper was thickened with localized occlusion (n = 19, 67.9%) and stenosis (n = 9, 32.1%). Regarding adjacent bronchi without peppers, extensive wall thickening with stenosis and/or occlusion was found in 23 (82.1%) cases. Distal pulmonary lesions frequently involved two or three segments (21, 75.0%) and mainly presented as patchy consolidation or atelectasis (24, 85.7%).Conclusion: In combination to a history of eating peppers and clinical symptoms, bronchopneumonia caused by pepper should be highly suspected if U/V-shaped and annular high-density or localized soft tissue density is detected in the bronchi of the lower lobes, accompanied by extensive bronchial wall thickening, stenosis, or occlusion, and consolidation or atelectasis in multiple distal lung segments.Keywords: obstructive pneumonia, foreign body, pepper, computed tomography