Capsaicinoids are responsible for the burning sensation or pungency in hot
peppers (Capsicum spp.). These compounds enable the resistance of Capsicum
plants to diseases like Fusarium and the plant seeds' dissemination by
birds, which cannot detect the pungency. Consumers mainly use hot peppers as
vegetable and food additive. Capsaicinoid is mainly controlled by the Pun1
gene and is also affected by quantitative trait loci (QTLs). Researchers
have conducted studies on these loci, but have not identified useful
candidate genes for the trait.



Scientist Byoung-Cheorl Kang and colleagues from Seoul National University
and Rural Development Administration in South Korea used QTL mapping and
Genome-wide association (GWAS) to detect QTLs for capsaicinoid content in
Capsicum. Recombinant inbred lines produced from parentals "Perennial"
(pungent small pepper line) and "Dempsey" (nonpungent bell pepper cultivar)
are used in the experiment. They found five candidate genes controlling
capsaicinoid content using their experimental data and previously available
data. These genes include pAMT, C4H, 4CL, CSE, and FatA from the
phenylpropanoid and fatty acid pathways. These genes will be useful in
elucidating the mechanism of capsaicinoid biosynthesis and in breeding for
high-pungency peppers.



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