Population structure in diverse pepper (Capsicum spp.) accessions

Authors: MCCOY, JACK - The Ohio State University; MARTINEZ-AINSWORTH, NATALIA - Universidad Nacianal Autonoma De Mexico; Bernau, Vivian; SCHEPPLER, HANNAH - The Ohio State University; HEDBLOM, GRANT - University Of Minnesota; ADHIKARI, ACHUYT - University Of Hawaii; MCCORMICK, ANNA - University Of Hawaii; KANTAR, MICHAEL - University Of Hawaii; MCHALE, LEAH - The Ohio State University; MERCER, KRISTIN - The Ohio State University; BAUMLER, DAVID - University Of Minnesota

Submitted to: BMC Research Notes
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/20/2023
Publication Date: 1/25/2023
Citation: McCoy, J., Martinez-Ainsworth, N.E., Bernau, V.M., Scheppler, H., Hedblom, G., Adhikari, A., McCormick, A., Kantar, M., McHale, L., Mercer, K., Baumler, D. 2023. Population structure in diverse pepper (Capsicum spp.) accessions. BMC Research Notes. 16. Article 20. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13104-023-06293-3.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s13104-023-06293-3

Interpretive Summary: Peppers, bell and chile, are a culturally and economically important crop worldwide. The Capsicum spp. that haves been domesticated and distributed globally represent a complex of valuable genetic resources. Our objective was to explore the population structure and diversity in a collection of 467 peppers representing eight species, spanning the spectrum from highly domesticated to wild using genetic markers distributed across the twelve chromosomes of pepper. These species contained varied levels of genetic diversity, which also varied across each chromosome, and appeared to differ in the size of the genetic bottlenecks they have experienced. We found that levels of diversity roughly correspond to levels of domestication, with the more diverse being the least domesticated.

Technical Abstract: Peppers, bell and chile, are a culturally and economically important crop worldwide. The Capsicum spp. that haves been domesticated and distributed globally represent a complex of valuable genetic resources. Objectives: Explore population structure and diversity in a collection of 467 peppers representing eight species, spanning the spectrum from highly domesticated to wild using 22,916 SNP markers distributed across the twelve chromosomes of pepper. Results: These species contained varied levels of genetic diversity, which also varied across each chromosome, and appeared to differ in the size of the genetic bottlenecks they have experienced. We found that levels of diversity roughly correspond to levels of domestication, with the more diverse being the least domesticated.