Cucumber ( Cucumis sativus L.) and habanero pepper ( Capsicum chinense Jacq.) growers have observed increased crop yield by placing bees in close proximity to these vegetable crops. However, adding ...managed bees typically may not be feasible for small-scale farmers or homeowners. Limited studies have demonstrated the potential of pollinator-attracting plants to be used as a lure to enhance the visitation of pollinators to adjacent food crops. This study evaluated the potential of adding pollinator-attracting plants in close proximity to cucumber and habanero plants to improve yields by either establishing permanent perennial companion plantings adjacent to the crops or interplanting annual companion plants within the row anew with each crop. The perennial treatment group consisted of Phyla nodiflora (L.) Greene, Borrichia frutescens (L.) DC., Salvia farinacea Benth. ‘Henry Duelberg’, and Eysenhardtia texana Scheele. The annual treatment group consisted of Cosmos bipinnatus Cav., Zinnia × marylandica D.M. Spooner, Stimart, & T. Boyle, Borago officinalis L., and Ocimum basilicum L. Multiple cropping cycles were initiated using both spring and fall seasons, and yield was assessed for three successive cropping cycles. Fruit quality was unaffected by pollinator-attracting companion plantings; however total and marketable yields were impacted. Cucumber yields were significantly ( P < 0.05) greater during fall harvests with annual companion plantings and with the second fall harvest in perennial companion plant plots. Perennial companion plots initially yielded less than control plots or annual companion plots due to the space allocated to the companion plantings and the fewer pollinators initially attracted to the plots compared with the annual companion plantings. When the perennial plots became more established, they resulted in similar yields as the annual companion planting plots. Although habanero yields were increased by annual companion plantings in spring and fall, cucumbers were unaffected by companion plantings in spring. This suggests a potential seasonality for the efficacy of some pollinator-attracting companion plantings for a given crop that could offer an opportunity to tailor companion plantings to attract specific pollinators at different times of the year.
Temperature is one of the main environmental factors involved in global warming and has been found to have a direct effect on plants. However, few studies have investigated the effect of higher ...temperature on tropical crops. We therefore performed an experiment with a tropical crop of Habanero pepper (Capsicum Chinense Jacq.). Three growth chambers were used, each with 30 Habanero pepper plants. Chambers were maintained at a diurnal maximum air temperature (DMT) of 30 (chamber 1), 35 (chamber 2) and 40 degree C (chamber 3). Each contained plants from seedling to fruiting stage. Physiological response to variation in DMT was evaluated for each stage over the course of five months. The results showed that both leaf area and dry mass of Habanero pepper plants did not exhibit significant differences in juvenile and flowering phenophases. However, in the fruiting stage, the leaf area and dry mass of plants grown at 40 degree C DMT were 51 and 58% lower than plants at 30 degree C DMT respectively. Meanwhile, an increase in diurnal air temperature raised both stomatal conductance and transpiration rate, causing an increase in temperature deficit (air temperature - leaf temperature). Thus, leaf temperature decreased by 5 degree C, allowing a higher CO2 assimilation rate in plants at diurnal maximum air temperature (40 degree C). However, in CO2 measurements when leaf temperature was set at 40 degree C, physiological parameters decreased due to an increase in stomatal limitation. We conclude that the thermal optimum range in a tropical crop such as Habanero pepper is between 30 and 35 degree C (leaf temperature, not air temperature). In this range, gas exchange through stomata is probably optimal. Also, the air temperature-leaf temperature relationship helps to explain how temperature keeps the major physiological processes of Habanero pepper healthy under experimental conditions.
Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have become popular due to their unique properties that can be used as biosensors, composite fibers, semiconductor materials, and other medical applications. Green ...synthesis of AgNPs using natural reagents from plant extract offers advantages as an efficient and environmentally friendly technique by which the compounds from the extract perform as bio-reductor for silver ions and the capping agent for stabilizing the AgNPs. Therefore, the purpose of the study was to conduct the synthesis of AgNPs by utilizing an extract of Capsicum chinensie Jacq as the bioreductor. The effect of extract concentrations, duration of exposure to sunlight, and temperatures on AgNPs formation was studied to obtain the optimum synthesis condition. The biosynthesized AgNPs characteristics were analyzed using UV-Vis Spectrophotometry, FTIR, SEM, X-Ray Diffraction, and PSA. The results showed that the higher extract concentration produced smaller AgNPs. The synthesis under sunlight exposure showed more product of AgNPs compared to heating on a hot plate. The optimum conditions of biosynthesis of AgNPs were attained at the volume ratio of extract (20%) and AgNO3 (1mM) of 1:1 and duration of sunlight exposure of 90 min, resulting in AgNPs characterized with maximum wavelength 422 nm and average particle sizes of 67.94 nm.
GC-EIMS analysis, antifungal- and anti-aflatoxigenic activities of the ethanolic extract of Capsicum chinense and Piper nigrum fruits and their main bioactive compounds were evaluated upon ...Aspergillus parasiticus. The GC-EIMS analysis showed capsaicin (50.49%) and piperine (95.94%) as the major constituents in C. chinense and P. nigrum, respectively. MIC
50
values revealed that capsaicin (39 μg/mL) and piperine (67 μg/mL) were lower than those from fruit extracts of C. chinense (381 μg/mL) and P. nigrum (68 μg/mL). Extracts and bioactive compounds showed anti-aflatoxigenic activity. Maximum aflatoxin inhibition occurred at 150 µg/mL of extracts and compounds. The present study showed satisfactory results concerning the effects of ethanolic extract of C. chinense and P. nigrum fruits upon A. parasiticus, showing the capabilities of inhibiting fungal growth development and altering aflatoxins production.
O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar estádios de maturação do fruto e temperaturas na qualidade fisiológica de sementes de pimenta biquinho. Dois experimentos foram conduzidos, no primeiro, os frutos ...foram colhidos em diferentes estádios de maturação: frutos de coloração verde, alaranjado, vermelho, vermelho intenso e vermelho intenso e murchos. Das sementes extraídas determinou-se o teor de água e avaliou-se a qualidade fisiológica por meio dos testes de germinação e vigor (primeira contagem de germinação, emergência de plântulas, índice de velocidade de emergência, comprimento, matéria fresca e seca de plântulas). No segundo experimento, as sementes provenientes de frutos vermelhos e vermelho intenso e murchos foram submetidas a diferentes condições de temperaturas: constante (20, 25 e 30 °C) e alternada (20-30 °C), e novamente avaliadas pelos testes de germinação e vigor. A qualidade fisiológica das sementes de pimenta biquinho é máxima quando os frutos são colhidos com a coloração vermelho intenso e/ou vermelho intenso e murcho e, as temperaturas constantes de 25 e 30 °C são as mais adequadas para avaliação da qualidade fisiológica de sementes.
La interacción de especies bioestimulantes de Trichoderma puede tener beneficios para aumentar la producción de metabolitos involucrados en la promoción de crecimiento vegetal. La combinación de dos ...organismos con mayor grado de antagonismo podría potenciar los efectos promotores del crecimiento en plantas. El objetivo del estudio fue seleccionar in vitro especies nativas de Trichoderma cultivadas de manera dual y evaluar su efecto promotor del crecimiento en Capsicum chinense. La selección de aislados in vitro se realizó por medio de enfrentamientos duales con las siguientes características: crecimiento proporcional de ambos aislados en la caja Petri, presencia de barrera micelial y coloración del medio de cultivo. Los enfrentamientos seleccionados y sus aislados individuales se evaluaron en plantas de C. chinense cv. Mayapan. Además, dos testigos sin inoculación fúngica, uno como testigo al 100% (250N-200P-300K) de la fertilización química recomendada para el cultivo; y el segundo como testigo al 50%, con la mitad de la fertilización indicada. Tres aplicaciones de suspensiones de 106 conidios mL-1 se realizaron en la etapa de almácigo y otras tres durante el crecimiento del cultivo. El efecto de los tratamientos se evaluó a través del crecimiento vegetal y la producción del cultivo a los 145 días después de la siembra. La interacción de Trichoderma virens (Th05-02)/Trichoderma koningiopsis (Th41-11) fue igual (p>0.05) al testigo fertilizado al 100% en las variables evaluadas. Además, se obtuvieron incrementos del 14.53% en altura de la planta, 11.20% en diámetro del tallo, 28.54% en la biomasa seca aérea, 12.97% en biomasa seca de raíz, 33.13% en número de frutos y 25.77% en el peso de frutos, respecto al testigo con 50% de fertilización química. La interacción de las especies T. virens (Th05-02)/T. koningiopsis (Th41-11) ejerció un efecto promotor de crecimiento vegetal con la reducción del 50% de la fertilización química recomendada en el cultivo de chile habanero.
•Herein, we identify ncRNAs involved in fruit ripening of Capsicum chinense Jacq.•142 novel miRNAs, 9928 circRNAs and 20563 lncRNAs were identified.•In this, 4627 mRNA, 5918 lncRNA and 85 circRNA ...were upregulated as 3046 mRNA, 5908 lncRNA and 86 circRNA were downregulated.•Two miRNA’s (Capana10g000965 and Capana12g001292) involved in carotenoid synthesis were identified.•One circRNA that targets alanine-glyoxylate aminotransferase 2 and is involved in pepper aroma formation was identified.
Capsicum species are highly diverse plants, with over 200 species. Their fruits are important, both nutritionally and economically. Plant non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) and microRNAs (miRNAs) significantly influence several plant biological processes, including regulating their gene expression. Specifically, in pepper plants, in excess of 300 conserved and novel miRNAs have previously been described. However, the functional role and influence of ncRNAs in pepper fruit ripening processes have not been sufficiently addressed. Herein, we used high-throughput sequencing to identify ncRNAs in Capsicum chinense Jacq. at three distinct fruit ripening stages (green ripening stage, the colour transition stage and the red ripening stage). 142 novel miRNAs, 9928 circRNAs and 20,563 lncRNAs were identified. DE analysis revealed that 4627 mRNA, 5918 lncRNA and 85circRNA were upregulated. Two miRNAs were associated with pigment biosynthetic process hence are linked to carotenoid synthesis in pepper fruits. Similarly, two known miRNAs; miR157d-3p and miR396h, that target beta-glucosidase – a vital enzyme in the fruit ripening process were identified. Further, circRNA that targets alanine-glyoxylate aminotransferase 2 (Capana00g005022); which contributes to pepper aroma formation was identified. In conclusion, CircRNAs, lncRNAs and mRNAs can perform as ceRNAs in gene regulation in plants. Overall, the findings from this study provide knowledge on ncRNAs functional and regulation dynamism during Capsicum chinense Jacq. pepper fruit ripening process.
Myeloblastosis (
) genes are important transcriptional regulators of plant growth, development, and secondary metabolic biosynthesis pathways, such as capsaicinoid biosynthesis in
. Although
genes ...have been identified in
, no comprehensive study has been conducted on other
species. We identified a total of 251 and 240
encoding genes in
(
) and
(
). The observation of twenty tandem and 41 segmental duplication events indicated expansion of the
gene family in the
genome. Five
genes, i.e.,
, and
, and two
, i.e.,
and
, were found within the previously reported capsaicinoid biosynthesis quantitative trait loci. Based on phylogenetic analysis with tomato
proteins, the
MYBs were classified into 24 subgroups supported by conserved amino acid motifs and gene structures. Also, a total of 241
were homologous with 225
, 213
, 125 potato, 79 tomato, and 23 Arabidopsis
. Synteny analysis showed that all 251
were collinear with
, tomato, potato, and Arabidopsis
spanning over 717 conserved syntenic segments. Using transcriptome data from three fruit developmental stages, a total of 54
and 81
showed significant differential expression patterns. Furthermore, the expression of 24
from the transcriptome data was validated by quantitative real-time (qRT) PCR analysis. Eight out of the 24
validated by the qRT-PCR were highly expressed in fiery hot
than in the lowly pungent
. Furthermore, the co-expression analysis revealed several
genes clustered with genes from the capsaicinoid, anthocyanin, phenylpropanoid, carotenoid, and flavonoids biosynthesis pathways, and related to determining fruit shape and size. The homology modeling of 126 R2R3 CcMYBs showed high similarity with that of the Arabidopsis R2R3
domain template, suggesting their potential functional similarity at the proteome level. Furthermore, we have identified simple sequence repeat (SSR) motifs in the
genes, which could be used in
breeding programs. The functional roles of the identified
could be studied further so that they can be manipulated for
trait improvement.
•An agrotechnique was developed for the wild landrace Borbhut.•SOC pool significantly influence capsaicin content of Borbhut.•Significant variation in pungency was recorded in Borbhut fruits from two ...locations.•High nutrient content and yield were recorded in organically cultivated Borbhut.•FYM and VC incorporation improved soil quality and hotness of the species.
Capsicum chinense (Jacq.) cv. Borbhut a highly pungent and strictly endemic landrace is found in Northeast India. Information regarding scientific cultivation of this crop is not available. In the present investigation, we formulated a few organic based integrated nutrient management schemes to standardize the pungency and hotness of the crop in two widely apart locations. Here we assess the impact of the management schemes on capsaicin accumulation in C. chinense grown in two types of soil (alluvial and lateritic) falling in two states of India (Assam and West Bengal). Some vital nutritional (crude protein, fibre, sugar and acid contents) and phytochemical features (β-carotene, lycopene) were also evaluated. Chilies grown in Assam soil (alluvial) exhibited significantly higher capsaicin content and pungency than those grown in the West Bengal soil. Application of vermicompost alone resulted in higher fruit yield, soluble sugar, protein, fibre, and lycopene contents in plants of Assam; whereas in West Bengal the maximum fruit yield and nutritional attributes were observed in plants grown under NPK+Vermicompost. However, vermicompost based nutrient management scheme efficiently elevated the pungency level in “Borbhut” irrespective of soil types.
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