PA-559: A New, Root-Knot Nematode Resistant, Red-Fruited, Habanero-Type Pepper

Efforts to develop a root-knot nematode resistant, red-fruited, Habanero-type pepper (Capsicum chinense Jacq.) were completed with the official release of PA-559 on September 18, 2008.  The new breeding line is the product of a backcross/pedigree breeding procedure to incorporate a dominant root-knot nematode resistance gene from the Scotch Bonnet-type accession PA-426 into a red-fruited Habanero-type pepper.  PA-559 was derived from a single F3(BC4F3 x BC4F3) plant grown in 2005.  Both of the parental lines used in the last cross are sister lines of the orange-fruited, root-knot nematode resistant cultivar TigerPaw-NR that was released by the USDA in 2006.  PA-559 is homozygous for a dominant gene conditioning a high level of resistance to the southern root-knot nematode [Meloidogyne incognita (Chitwood) Kofoid and White], the peanut root-knot nematode [M. arenaria (Neal) Chitwood], and the tropical root-knot nematode [M. javanica (Treub) Chitwood].  PA-559 has a compact plant habit and produces lantern-shaped, red-colored fruit.  Observations of field plantings conducted at Charleston, SC, indicate that the fruit and yield characteristics of PA-559 are comparable to those of currently available Habanero-type cultivars.  A typical fruit weighs 7.8–8.3 g, is 2.3-2.7 cm wide x 4.2-4.6 cm long, and is extremely pungent (256,433 Scoville heat units).  PA-559 is recommended for use as a parental line by pepper breeders interested in developing root-knot nematode resistant cultivars of Habanero-type peppers.  PA-559 is a well-adapted, Habanero-type pepper; it is potentially useful in commercial production without further development.