Agrotechnology

Whole-genome sequencing of cultivated and wild peppers provides insights into Capsicum domestication and specialization

3^rd International Conference on Agriculture & Horticulture

October 27-29, 2014 Hyderabad International Convention Centre, India

Cheng Qin

Accepted Abstracts: Agrotechnol

Abstract:

As an economic crop, pepper satisfies peoples spicy taste and has medicinal uses worldwide. To gain a better understanding of Capsicum evolution, domestication, and specialization, the genome sequence of the cultivated pepper Zunla-1 (C. annuum L.) and its wild progenitor Chiltepin (C. annuum var. glabriusculum). It is estimated that the pepper genome expanded ~0.3 Mya (with respect to the genome of other Solanaceae) by a rapid amplification of retrotransposons elements, resulting in a genome comprised of ~81% repetitive sequences. Approximately 79% of 3.48-Gb scaffolds containing 34,476 protein-coding genes were anchored to chromosomes by a high-density genetic map. Comparison of cultivated and wild pepper genomes with 20 resequencing accessions revealed molecular footprints of artificial selection, providing us with a list of candidate domestication genes. It was also found that dosage compensation effect of tandem duplication genes probably contributed to the pungent diversification in pepper. The Capsicum reference genome provides crucial information for the study of not only the evolution of the pepper genome but also, the Solanaceae family, and it will facilitate the establishment of more effective pepper breeding programs.

Biography :

Cheng Qin has completed his PhD at the age of 30 years from Sichuan Agricultural University and postdoctoral studies from South China Agricultural University in China. He is the director of Pepper Institute, Zunyi Academy of Agricultural Sciences in China, the only international, non-profit organization devoted to education and research related to Capsicum or peppers. He has published papers in PNAS, BMC genomics, etc.