Development of a promising interspecific hybrid in black pepper (Piper nigrum L.) for Phytophthora foot rot resistance

• Published in: Euphytica 2008-06, Vol.161 (3), p.437-445
• Main Authors: Vanaja, T, Neema, V. P, Mammootty, K. P, Rajeshkumar, R
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Biological and medical sciences; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biotechnology; black pepper; Cytology; disease resistance; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; fungal diseases of plants; genes; Genetics; Genetics and breeding of economic plants; hybrids; Interspecific and intergeneric hybridization, introgressions; interspecific hybridization; introgression; Life Sciences; Phytophthora; Phytophthora capsici; Piper; Piper colubrinnum; Piper nigrum; plant breeding; Plant breeding: fundamental aspects and methodology; Plant Genetics and Genomics; Plant Pathology; Plant Physiology; Plant resistance; Plant Sciences; random amplified polymorphic DNA technique; Studies; Varietal selection. Specialized plant breeding, plant breeding aims; Vegetables; wild relatives
• ISSN: 0014-2336; 1573-5060
• DOI: 10.1007/s10681-007-9602-4

For the first time in the history of black pepper cultivation, a partly fertile interspecific hybrid having partial resistance to the dreaded disease Phytophthora foot rot was developed through hybridizing Piper nigrum with the wild species Piper colubrinnum. Hybridity of interspecific progenies was established through morphology, anatomy, cytology, and molecular studies. The hybrid, whose chromosome number is 2n = 39, is a triploid hybrid between a tetraploid and diploid species. The hybrid designated as Culture P5PC-1 exhibited distinct anatomical and morphological feature with a large number of long spikes with reduced setting percentage. The RAPD primers OPE 07 and OPG 08 were identified as hybrid specific molecular markers. Functional evaluation revealed partial introgression of genes--responsible for Phytophthora foot rot resistance--into the hybrid. This hybrid is considered as a successful breakthrough for introgression of resistance to the cultivated species Piper nigrum from the wild species Piper colubrinnum.