Capsicum

The presented study describes the effectiveness of induced androgenesis in in vitro pepper anther culture. The aim of this study was the establishment of effective technology for induction of embryogenesis in pepper anther culture; development of the embryos into plantlets; successful adaptation and acclimatization of plantlets from sterile to greenhouse conditions, and the breeding process of obtained androgenetic pepper lines in the plastic tunnel conditions. From 19 pepper genotypes under investigation, 12 possessed potential for embryo formation in anther culture. After the acclimatization and adaptation of plantlets, seed material from four pepper genotypes were collected: Piran, Kurtovska kapija SR, Zlaten medal SR and Feherozon. From the collected seed material, breeding processes of androgenetic pepper lines was set up in plastic tunnel (from April-October 2007-2010). The pepper genotypes and androgenetic lines as their products differ among themselves in the length of phono...

Pungency in Capsicum fruits is due to the accumulation of the alkaloid capsaicin and its analogs. The biosynthesis of capsaicin is restricted to the genus Capsicum and results from the acylation of an aromatic moiety, vanillylamine, by a branched-chain fatty acid. Many of the enzymes involved in capsaicin biosynthesis are not well characterized and the regulation of the pathway is not fully understood. Based on the current pathway model, candidate genes were identified in public databases and the literature, and genetically mapped. A published EST co-localized with the Pun1 locus which is required for the presence of capsaicinoids. This gene, AT3, has been isolated and its nucleotide sequence has been determined in an array of genotypes within the genus. AT3 showed significant similarity to acyltransferases in the BAHD superfamily. The recessive allele at this locus contains a deletion spanning the promoter and first exon of the predicted coding region in every non-pungent accession tested. Transcript and protein expression of AT3 was tissue-specific and developmentally regulated. Virus-induced gene silencing of AT3 resulted in a decrease in the accumulation of capsaicinoids, a phenotype consistent with pun1. In conclusion, gene mapping, allele sequence data, expression profile and silencing analysis collectively indicate that the Pun1 locus in pepper encodes a putative acyltransferase, and the pun1 allele, used in pepper breeding for nearly 50 000 years, results from a large deletion at this locus.

In arid-zone agriculture where available irrigation water is saline, desalination is becoming an attractive method for increasing yields and reducing negative environmental consequences. However, irrigation with desalinated water can be problematic if essential nutrients, including Ca, Mg, and S, removed during reverse osmosis, are not reintroduced. We evaluated two strategies for supplying these nutrients — direct fertilization and blending of

ABSTRACT
Pepper is a neutraceutical crop widely consumed. This study aimed at comparing the proximate composition and nutritive values of four cultivated varieties of pepper (C. frutescens var. chacoense, C. annuum var. abbreviatum, C. annuum var. accuminatum and C. annuum var. grossum) and four wild varieties (C. frutescens var. maxima, C. frutescens var. baccatum, C. frutescens var. minima and C. frutescens var. glabrisculum). The experiment was conducted at the Experimental Plot of the Department of Pure and Applied Botany, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (Latitude: 7.214952; Longitude: 3.437090) using a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD). Proximate composition and nutritive values were determined using AOAC, macro-Kjeldhal and spectrophotometric methods. Means were separated using the Duncan’s Multiple-Range Test at p ˂ 0.05 (Statistical Analysis Systems version 9.2). The results showed that C. frutescens var. chacoense had the highest vitamin C (145.17 mg/100 g ±5.68) while C. frutescens var. glabrisculum had the highest crude protein (11.90 mg/100 g ± 0.15), crude lipid (3.38 mg/100 g ± 0.40), ash content (4.70 mg/100 g±0.18), carbohydrate (43.79 mg/100 g ± 0.64) and crude fibre (27.48 mg/100 g ± 0.36). C. annuum var. glabrisculum had the lowest moisture content (8.57 mg/100 g ± 0.51). The study revealed higher proximate composition and nutritional values in wild varieties than in the cultivated  ones. Therefore, the cultivation and consumption of wild pepper varieties should be encouraged.
Key words: Proximate, nutritional potentials, pepper, wild, cultivated

Several root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne spp.) resistance genes have been discovered in different pepper (Capsium annuum L.) lines; however, none of them has yet been cloned. In this study, a candidate root-knot nematode resistance gene (designated as CaMi) was isolated from the resistant pepper line PR 205 by degenerate PCR amplification combined with the RACE technique. Expression profiling analysis revealed that this gene was highly expressed in roots, leaves, and flowers and expressed at a lower level in stems and was not detectable in fruits. To verify the function of CaMi, a sense vector containing the genomic DNA spanning the full coding region of CaMi was constructed and transferred into root-knot nematode susceptible tomato plants. Sixteen transgenic plants carrying one to five copies of T-DNA inserts were generated from two nematode susceptible tomato cultivars. RT-PCR analysis revealed that the expression levels of CaMi gene varied in different transgenic plants. Nematode assays showed that the resistance to root-knot nematodes was significantly improved in some transgenic lines compared to untransformed susceptible plants, and that the resistance was inheritable. Ultrastructure analysis showed that nematodes led to the formation of galls or root knots in the susceptible lines while in the resistant transgenic plants, the CaMi gene triggered a hypersensitive response (HR) as well as many necrotic cells around nematodes.

The present investigation entitled "Response of capsicum (Capsicum annuum L. var. grossum) to different levels of spacing and training system under foot hills of Arunachal Pradesh". The experiment was laid out in two factorial RBD using three replications with three levels of spacing and training. The standard cultural practices were done regular interval for better crop growth and good yields. The closer spacing resulted in maximum plant height, LAI, and total yield per plot and wider spacing recorded maximum number of branches, number of leaf, earliness in fruit flowering and fruit set and yield per plant. Among all levels, two shoot training showed maximum plant height, minimum days required to first flowering, first fruit set, days to first harvest and size of fruit and four shoots resulted in maximum number of branches, number of leaf, LAI, fruits per plant (10.06), yield per plant (0.54 kg) and yield (0.75 Kg/m 2). Among all interactions, closer spacing with four shoot training produced more number of branches and leaves per plant resulted in maximum of per plant and per plot yield due to more number of shoots contributed in producing more number of fruits. In contrast, wider spacing with two shoot training produced highest plant height, early flowering and fruit set. The quality parameters and fruiting percentage had not significant to interaction of both training and spacing. It is concluded that for higher yield of capsicum under polyhouse conditions, the closer spacing with four shoots training maybe suggested for foot hills of Himalayas. Highlights m Four shoots with closer spacing positively correlated with yield per unit area but wider spacing and less no. of shoots produced higher yield per plant.

A simple method for the analysis of capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin in peppers and pepper sauces by solid phase microextraction–gas chromatography–mass spectrometry has been developed. A novel device was designed for direct extraction solid phase microextraction in order to avoid damage to the fiber. The analysis was performed without derivatization for the gas chromatography–mass spectrometry analysis. Selection fiber, extraction temperature, extraction time and pH, were optimized. The method was linear in the range 0.109–1.323 μg/mL for capsaicin and 0.107–1.713 μg/mL for dihydrocapsaicin with correlation coefficient up to r = 0.9970 for both capsaicinoids. The precision of the method was less than 10%. The method was applied to the analysis of 11 varieties of peppers and four pepper sauces. A broad range of capsaicin (55.0–25 459 μg/g) and dihydrocapsaicin (93–1 130 μg/g) was found in the pepper and pepper sauces samples (4.3–717.3 and 1.0–134.8 μg/g), respectively.

A collaborative study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of an immunoaffinity column cleanup liquid chromatography (LC) method for the determination of aflatoxin B1 and total aflatoxins at European regulatory limits. The test portion is extracted with methanol–water (8 + 2) for ...

"Los más importantes de los alimentos que tomaban los mexicanos diariamente eran el maíz, el frijol, el chile y la calabaza", dice el Códice Florentino. Desde tiempos pre-hispánicos, estos alimentos se han combinado de distin-tas maneras entre ellos y con otros ingredientes diversos, como carnes de varios animales e incluso carne humana, enriqueciendo la dieta de los habitantes del Nuevo Mundo. Aun hoy en día, estos ingredientes son la base de la alimentación de gran parte de los americanos, principal-mente los más pobres. El consumo de chile involucra una característica cultural persistente. Esto es verdad, comemos chile porque aprendimos a hacerlo de nuestros padres, pero también por su sabor y por su picor. En cierta forma, su consumo tiene un carácter lúdico pues puede resultar divertido. Sin embargo, desde nuestros ancestros, el chile, adictivo o no, ha proporcionado variedad a la dieta, y estimulación sensorial. Además, sin saberlo, hemos obtenido beneficios en nuestra salud a través de las propiedades de esta maravillosa especia del Nuevo Mundo.
Chilli: La especia del Nuevo Mundo, CIENCIAS 69 ENERO MARZO 2003 67

An HPTLC densitometric method for the simultaneous determination of cinnamaldehyde and eugenol as well as trace amounts of piperine in pepper-contaminated cinnamon was developed. The applicability of the method was tested with cinnamon bark powder adulterated with pepper powder, cinnamon oil, clove powder, clove oil and a commercial preparation containing cinnamaldehyde and eugenol. The method was validated for specificity, precision, accuracy and robustness. The method was found to be precise for different concentrations of cinnamaldehyde, eugenol and piperine. The accuracy of the method was checked by conducting a recovery study at three different levels. The linearity was found to be in the ranges 52.54-735.56, 533.2-8531.2 and 50-300 ng/spot, respectively, with correlation coefficients of 0.9985 +/- 0.04, 0.9982 +/- 0.06 and 0.9937 +/- 0.11 for cinnamaldehyde, eugenol and piperine.

Many plant species are used in the different parts of the world since ancient time to control various pathogenic bacteria. This work was designed to assess the antibacterial activities of aqueous and methanol extracts of Capsicum annuum, Capsicum frutescens, and Capsicum chinense fruits against eight pathogenic bacterial strains. The plant extracts were assessed for the presence of large classes of phytochemicals such as alkaloids, tannins, flavonoids, saponins, phytosterols, phenol, carbohydrate, protein, reducing sugar and capsaicin. The aqueous and methanol extracts of three varieties of capsicum fruits showed wide antibacterial activities against the different human pathogenic bacteria. From this result it is concluded that capsicum fruits may serve as natural bactericidal agents for the treatment of various infectious diseases caused by different Gram positive and Gram negative human pathogenic bacteria.

Silica gel, aluminium oxide, diatomaceous earth, polyamide, cyano, diol and amino plates have been tested for their capacity to separate the color pigments of six chili powders of different origin by both adsorption and reversed-phase thin-layer chromatography. The plates were evaluated at 340 and 440 nm wavelengths. Best separation of color pigments was obtained on impregnated diatomaceous earth layer using

The rocoto, Capsicum pubescens Ruiz & Pav. is an underutilised species of hot pepper originating from the Andes. It is the least known of all the cultivated capsicums. This article provides information on its history, characteristics, cultivation, culinary uses and novel crop potential.

The present investigation was carried out in the plain areas of Chitwan to determine the promising plant growth regulators (PGR) promoting growth and yield of chilli cultivars Jwala and Suryamukhi during the winter-summer season of 2003/2004. Suryamukhi ranked superior to Jwala for most of the yield attributing characters, whereas Jwala was better in vegetative characters than Suryamukhi. Among PGRs, 2,4-D at 2 ppm was better for fruit set, number of fruits per plant, fruit length, number of seeds per fruit, seed weight per fruits, 1000 seed weight and fruit yield where as NAA at 40 ppm gave the highest leaf area index (LAI). PGRs were ineffective in promoting flowering and fruiting during winter season. GA3 at 10 ppm exhibited maximum amount of ascorbic acid content. The treatments, 2 ppm 2,4-D, 5 ppm triacontanol, 40 ppm NAA and 10 ppm GA3 produced 28.75%, 25.70%, 13.61% and 2.30% higher fruit yield over control, respectively. The highest net profit and B:C ratio were recorded in case of 2 ppm 2,4-D. The use of GA3 as foliar spray was not economical.

"Саагун Б. де., Куприенко С. А.

Общая история о делах Новой Испании. Книги X-XI: Познания астеков в медицине и ботанике / Бернардино де Саагун, С. А. Куприенко. — Киев : Видавець Купрієнко С. А., 2013. — 218 с. : ил. — (Месоамерика. Источники. История. Человек).

ISBN 978-617-7085-07-1



В предлагаемом Вашему вниманию издании впервые осуществлен перевод на русский язык X и XI книг фундаментального труда францисканского монаха Бернардино де Саагуна (1498 или 1500–1590). Данные книги, в основном, посвящены вопросам медицины и ботаники. Для написания такого медицинского трактата автор использовал в качестве информаторов индейских лекарей, предоставивших львиную долю сведений о местных растениях, болезнях, лекарствах и методах лечения.

В отечественной науке до сих пор отсутствовали какие-либо исследования по истории медицины или ботаники астеков, поэтому публикация столь важного исторического источника должна будет восполнить этот пробел и пробудить живой интерес к наследию одной из месоамериканских цивилизаций. В своей «Истории» сам Саагун дал описания 123 лекарственным травам, в то время, как в текстах его информаторов упоминаются 266 растений. В целом же, в его книгах упоминаются 724 растения, из которых можно идентифицировать 328 видов, относящихся к 101 семье. Примечательно, что автор дал, фактически, первые описания таким растениям: кукуруза, чиа, авокадо, амарант, фасоль, тыква, агава, гуайява, черимойя, перец красный острый, табак, батат, какао, маниок, капулин, лукума, опунция, хикама, сапота, томат, ваниль, юкка и многим другим.

Книга рассчитана на студентов, аспирантов и преподавателей исторических, филологических, биологических факультетов и медицинских вузов, а также всех тех, кто интересуется доколумбовыми цивилизациями.



УДК 94(399.7)(093) +572+581.6+581.9+582+615.1+615.8+811.822

ББК Е5г + Р28г + Р.г(7) + Т3(7)213 + Ш177.16""

Extracts of different genotypes of Capsicum (C. annuum L., C. baccatum L., C. chinense Jacq., C. frutescens L. and C. praetermissum) were investigated for total phenolics, flavonoids, capsaicinoids contents and antioxidant activity objectifying to determine the relations between these bioactive compounds and the antioxidant capacity and also examine its cytotoxic and genotoxic potential. Capsicum praetermissum showed the highest total antioxidant activity and the highest concentrations of phenolic compounds and flavonoids. For C. annuum and C. frutescens the antioxidant activity was significant and the levels of phenolic compounds and flavonoids intermediate, while C. baccatum demonstrated the lowest antioxidant activity independent of significant levels of these compounds. Capsicum chinense showed the lowest level of total phenols and flavonoids despite expressive antioxidant activity. The determination of capsaicinoid content revealed higher levels of capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin for extracts of C. praetermissum, intermediate levels to C. baccatum, C. chinense and C. frutescens, whereas, the C. annuum showed the lowest levels of capsaicinoids, typical of these ornamental genotype. The extracts of C. praetermissum and C. baccatum exhibited low cytotoxic potential compared to other genotypes. The genotoxic potential was variable between analyzed genotypes, with C. praetermissum presenting the lowest rates. All species showed a dose-effect relationship dependent of extract concentration. The results of the present study indicated that Capsicum genotypes demonstrated a very high diversity of bioactive compounds that can be explored as agents in the control of complex biological processes related to human nutrition and health.

Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry was used to identify and quantify the predominant capsaicinoid analogues in extracts of fresh peppers, in oleoresin capsicum, and pepper sprays. The concentration of capsaicinoids in fresh peppers was variable. Variability was dependent upon the relative pungency of the pepper type and geographical origin of the pepper. Nonivamide was conclusively identified in the extracts of fresh peppers, despite numerous reports that nonivamide was not a natural product. In the oleoresin capsicum samples, the pungency was proportional to the total concentration of capsaicinoids and was related by a factor of approximately 15,000 Scoville Heat Units (SHU)/microg of total capsaicinoids. The principle analogues detected in oleoresin capsicum were capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin and appeared to be the analogues primarily responsible for the pungency of the sample. The analysis of selected samples of commercially available pepper spray products also demonstrated...

Numerous taxa within the Solanaceae family are economically important today, and for New World taxa such as chilies and tomatoes, their histories are particularly well documented. What remains less clear, however, is the extent of nightshade used by the ancient Maya. This article reviews the ethnographic, ethnohistoric, and archeological evidence of some of the major taxa in this large family, as well as providing new archeobotanical evidence in the form of macro- and microbotanical remains from Maya sites in northwestern Petén, Guatemala. This new evidence sheds additional light on the Solanaceae used by the ancient Maya in both domestic and ritual contexts. The absence of certain taxa in this family in the archeobotanical record of this region does not necessarily imply that these were not used in the past. Instead, it indicates that systematic collection of samples needs to be implemented if archeologists are to fully characterize past plant use among the ancient Maya.

The chile pepper (Capsicum spp.), a plant held in great esteem throughout history, was independently domesticated in a series of places including highland Bolivia, central Mexico, the Amazon, the Caribbean, and other locales with a particularly long history of cultivation and use in the central Andes of South America. Though identification of chile pepper species through fruit morphology is possible and has been utilized by botanists studying modern and archaeological specimens, species–level identification of Capsicum seeds has remained undetermined. Given the greater abundance of seed remains in the archaeological record due to the higher likelihood of preservation, the ability to identify specific Capsicum domesticates has profound implications for tracking the domestication and spread of chile peppers prehistorically through the Americas and historically through trade and exchange to the rest of the world. This article presents a systematic procedure to identify Capsicum seeds to the species level created by adopting a morphometric approach to compare attributes of modern Capsicum seeds to archaeological seeds.