Inheritance of resistance to anthracnose (<i>Colletotrichum capsici</i>) at seedling and fruiting stages in chili pepper (<i>Capsicum</i> spp.)

Abstract

Abstract Inheritance of resistance to anthracnose at fruiting and seedling stages was studied in two F 2 populations from a cross between Capsicum annuum cv. ‘Bangchang’ and Capsicum chinense ‘PBC932’. The first F 2 was used to study anthracnose resistance at fruiting stage on mature green and ripe red fruit, and the second F 2 was used to study the resistance at both seedling and fruiting stages. Fruit inoculation was performed on detached fruit using a microinjector. Disease severity was assessed on a 0–9 scale at 7 days after inoculation. Seedling inoculation was performed using a drop method on detached leaves of 4‐week‐old seedlings. Disease severity was assessed on a 1–9 scale at 3 days after inoculation. The distribution of the disease scores of green and red fruit, and seedlings in both F 2 populations suggested a single gene model for each trait. Three different recessive genes were responsible for the three resistances from this cross. Linkage analysis suggested that the resistances at green and red fruit were linked (recombination frequency 0.25), and that the seedling resistance was not linked to the fruit resistances.