Association of Molecular Markers with Anthracnose Lesion Development in Capsicum frutescens

Abstract

Anthracnose is major diseases caused Colletotrichum spp., which can significantly reduce crop quality and yield of pepper. This study aims to analyze the correlation between molecular markers and the development of anthracnose lesions in cayenne pepper. Disease development was observed using the Area Under Disease Progress Curve (AUDPC) value as an indicator of lesion development. A total of 10 chili pepper genotypes were tested using Colletotrichum gloeosporioides complex isolates. Molecular analysis was performed using four markers, namely P5in-2266-404, P5in-2267-507, HPMSE032, and HPMSE143, to identify their association with genotype responses to disease development. The results showed that most of the correlations between specific marker alleles and AUDPC values were negative, except for the HPMSE143 marker. No markers were significantly correlated with lesion development, but the HPMSE143 marker showed a positive correlation. From the AUDPC values, the SL-CB 217 genotype was found to have the lowest AUDPC values in the red and green mature phases compared to all other genotypes tested. The SL-CB 217 genotype can be selected as one of the breeding materials due to its resistance, but this study also serves as preliminary information to support the development of chili pepper varieties with resistance to anthracnose.