The genetic nature of low capsaicin content in variant strains induced by grafting was elucidated by crossing the G
5S
23 strain with the two cultivars,
Yatsubusa
(
Capsicum annuum L. var.
fasciculatum Ilish) and
Spanish Paprika
(
C. annuum L.
grossum Sendt) originally used for grafting. Decreased capsaicin synthesis was a stable characteristic for at least several generations from G
5S
16 to G
5S
23 and was transmitted to the progenies of crosses. This fact shows that the decreased capsaicin synthesis is a genetic trait in the graft-induced variant strains. The genetically dependent characteristic of pungency of the G
5S
23,
Yatsubusa
and
Spanish Paprika
were analysed by High Perfomance Liquid Chromatography measurement and tasting assay.
Cross experiment between the G
5S
23 strain, hot parent
Yatsubusa
and sweet parent
Spanish Paprika
showed that
pungent
and
sweet
for pungency chracteristics are generally controlled by at least two pairs of genes. Although segregation of capsaicin content and pungency was clearly demonstrated in F
2 progenies from reciprocal crosses between the G
5S
23 strain and
Spanish Paprika
, F
2 progenies from reciprocal crosses between G
5S
23 and
Yatsubusa
were all hot and did not develop low capsaicin plants.
Key words
Capsicum annuum
- pepper - graft - capsaicin - pungency