Inheritance and assessment of bentazon herbicide tolerance in 'Santaka' pepper

Experiments were developed to study the inheritance of the high level of tolerance to the herbicide bentazon exhibited by the pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) cultivar Santaka. Parental, F1, F2, and backcross populations of the cross 'Santaka' X 'Keystone Resistant Giant' were evaluated for injury in a greenhouse test using bentazon at a rate of 4.5 kg.ha-1 (1.1 kg.ha-1 is the rate recommended for most applications). Additionally, parental and F1 populations were evaluated for injury under field conditions using sequential bentazon applications of 4.5, 4.5, 6.75, and 9.0 kg.ha-1. A single, dominant gene determined tolerance. F1 hybrid plants (heterozygous at the locus conditioning tolerance) exhibited a high level of tolerance under field conditions. Results of the greenhouse test suggested a possible cytoplasmic involvement in the expression of the tolerance gene, but the results of the field test provided strong evidence that cytoplasm does not play a significant role. We propose that this gene be designated Bentazon tolerance and symbolized Bzt