Spontaneous calyx mutation found in pepper line originating from Capsicum annuum x c. Chinense hybrid.

摘要

Single spontaneous mutation was found in stable hot pepper line with elongated pointed upright growing pods, originating from a cross between Capsicum annuum and C. chinense. The unique plant formed flowers with massive anthocyanin calyx, developing quicker than the rest of flower organs, nearly reaching maximal size during the blossom. It covered a great part of the petals, causing partial cleistogamy because the anthers were enveloped and only their peaks stuck up. The tiny fruit was completely sheltered by the calyx, which was split to 3–4 shares with pod growing. At maturation the process of plastid transformation from chloro- to chromoplasts unordinary covered the whole fruit together with the calyx, both turning red. Segregation near to 2:1 between mutant and normal plants was observed in F2. Within the group of mutant phenotype flower variations appeared, with petals of normal size, or with shortened corolla, pressed together with the anthers into a calyx tube and protruded style, or with petals almost entirely hidden into the calyx. Variations in ripe fruit, respectively calyx colour in lemon-yellow, yellow-orange, dark-orange and salmon-orange were also obtained. Part of the studied forms showed complete resistance to natural infection by four fungal pathogens – Botrytis cinerea, Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, Verticillium dahliae and Colletotrichum spp. Stabilization of mutant phenotypes described is in progress in order to create mutant lines with different calyx-fruit coloration.