Abstract
Capsicum species are of great economic, medicinal, culinary and cultural value worldwide, however their genetic potential is still underutilized. In this study, a set of 21 microsatellite markers showed utility for distinguishing a diverse group of 42 Capsicum genotypes representing 11 species. The level of polymorphism among these genotypes was evaluated by calculating the polymorphic information content (PIC) and discriminating power (D) for each locus. A total of 208 alleles were detected at the 21 loci evaluated. Markers detecting the highest number of alleles also exhibited the highest number of rare alleles. PIC values and D estimations showed a significant positive correlation (r = 0.98; P < 0.0000). PIC values ranged between 0.500 (marker NG20) and 0.899 (marker NG17), giving an average of 0.775. Genetic relationships among genotypes were evaluated using UPGMA clustering, Principal Coordinate Analysis (PCoA) and Bayesian model-based clustering, allowing genotypes to be discriminated into groups according to their degree of genetic similarity corresponding to distinct taxa. Based on these analyses, the 21 microsatellite included in this study now define a standard tool for efficient assessment of molecular variability of Capsicum germplasm collections conserved worldwide.
Highlights
IntroductionThe fruits of the Capsicum (pepper) genus are valued worldwide as both a vegetable and spice
The fruits of the Capsicum genus are valued worldwide as both a vegetable and spice
Germplasm was obtained from commercially available varieties or obtained from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) collection based on the USDA Genetic Resources Information Network (GRIN)
Summary
The fruits of the Capsicum (pepper) genus are valued worldwide as both a vegetable and spice. The Capsicum genus is native to South and Central America (Bosland 1996; Perry et al 2007; Walsh and Hoot 2001) and comprises approximately 35 species, of which five are domesticated and widely consumed worldwide as both vegetable foods and spices (Carrizo Garcıa et al 2016; Moscone et al 2007). This number, is only an estimate as new species are discovered and named on a regular basis (Barboza et al 2019; Samuels 2015). Pepper fruits are an excellent source of micronutrient antioxidants (vitamins C and E as well as carotenoids), which confer to Capsicum a trending nutraceutical value due to their role in preventing or reducing chronic and age-related diseases. (Materska and Perucka 2005; Palevitch and Craker 1996; Soare et al 2017)
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