Seed and seedling characteristics of chile pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) across a domestication gradient
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Date
2023-12
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The Ohio State University
Abstract
Chile peppers (Capsicum annuum L.) are a crop with great importance both economically and culturally across Mesoamerica and beyond. During a time of climate change, the use of this crop species is threatened by rising temperatures and droughts. As such, the sources of genetic diversity found in landrace and wild (C. annuum glabriusculum) accessions are incredibly valuable. Identification of the natural adaptations in landraces and the wild relatives of chiles can facilitate the breeding of biotic and abiotic stress resistance into our crops, better securing their continued use. Seedlings, the most vulnerable stage of the plant life cycle, are an important focus area. Seed and seedling characteristics can be adaptations that assist in the survival of the plant. In this study, we examined seed and seedling characteristics across a domestication gradient in order to better understand the responses in phenotype resulting from the domestication process and the degree to which those changes may be similar across localities of origin. In order to investigate this, C. annuum seeds representing multiple domestication levels from across Mexico were measured using both digital phenotyping methods and physical measurements to quantify traits regarding size and shape of the seeds. Seeds were then planted, and seedlings grown in the greenhouse; they were measured from the time of emergence for phenotypes such as height, cotyledon size, leaf size, and number of leaves. We predicted that both seed and seedling phenotypes would significantly differ across level of domestication and across location of origin. We found that this was true for the majority of phenotypes examined, with certain phenotypes such as cotyledon area and height being especially impacted by domestication. We also found that seed phenotypes were significantly affected by both domestication and location of origin but were more strongly influenced by origin overall. These results inform our understanding of the effects of domestication and local environments on phenotypes, indicating that characteristics influencing seedling vigor may have been selected for during domestication. In addition, this research uncovered landrace and wild accessions of interest that show beneficial phenotypes that are recommended for further examination.
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Keywords
Capsicum annuum, Domestication syndrome, chile pepper, phenotype, seedling, seed