The inheritance of resistance to the southern root-knot nematode in 'Carolina Hot' cayenne pepper

Greenhouse experiments were conducted to determine the inheritance of the high level of southern root-knot nematode [Meloidogyne incognita (Kofoid and White) Chitwood] resistance exhibited by 'Carolina Hot' cayenne pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) and to compare the genetic nature of this resistance to that exhibited by 'Mississippi Nemaheart.' Evaluation of parental, F1, F2, and backcross generations or the cross 'Mississippi Nemaheart' X 'California Wonder' confirmed an earlier published report that the 'Mississippi Nemaheart' resistance is conditioned by a single dominant gene. Evaluation of parental, F1, F2, and backcross generations of a cross between highly resistant and highly susceptible lines selected from a heterogeneous 'Carolina Hot' population indicated that the resistance exhibited by 'Carolina Hot' is conditioned by two genes, one dominant and one recessive. Evaluation of the parental and F2 populations of a cross between 'Mississippi Nemaheart' and the highly resistant 'Carolina Hot' line indicated that the dominant resistance gene in 'Mississippi Nemaheart' is allelic to the dominant resistance gene in 'Carolina Hot.' Comparison of the data that were collected on the parental lines in the latter cross demonstrated the superior nature of the resistance exhibited by 'Carolina Hot.' The presence of the second resistance gene in 'Carolina Hot' probably accounted for the higher level of resistance. The ease and reliability of evaluating plants for resistance to root-knot nematodes and the availability of a simply inherited source of resistance makes breeding for southern root-knot nematode resistance a viable objective in pepper breeding programs. This objective should be readily obtainable by the application of conventional plant breeding methodologies