The 2011 ASHS Annual Conference

Pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) is the most economic vegetable crop in Korea. Most of the commercial varieties are F₁ hybrids produced by both male sterility systems, genic male sterility (GMS) and cytoplasmic-genic male sterility (CGMS). Pepper production, however, has been seriously damaged by several diseases including Phytophthora blight, anthracnose and some viral diseases (CMV, TMV and PepMoV). Recently, marker-assisted selection (MAS) has been intensively used in major crops to increase breeding efficiency. When we develop molecular markers in chili pepper, two different strategies we have. For a simple inherited trait, we use the BSA-AFLP method with the trait-related near-isogenic line or F₂ segregating population. If the target trait is inherited quantitatively, we do QTL mapping analysis and use genomic sequences released worldwide. Then, most of the AFLP markers developed were converted into the codominant STS markers (CAPS and SCAR) by using internal sequencing and/or genome walking analysis. Recently, we have developed numbers of molecular markers associated with several important traits for commercial pepper breeding. In male sterility system, four different GMS linked markers and two Rf-linked markers of CGMS were developed. For disease resistance, we have developed the molecular markers associated with the major loci resistant to Phytophthora root rot and anthracnose, respectively. In addition, several markers tightly linked to the resistance to viral diseases including CMV_fny, TMV, PepMoV and TSWV were developed. It is also available the markers linked to the Bs and Pun1 genes. All the markers we developed are now applicable for practical breeding program of pepper F₁ hybrids in all over the world as well as in Korea.