Detection of Pungent and Non-pungent Chilli Pepper (capsicum Sp.) Varieties at Seed Level, Using Pun Allele Specific Primer Map1

Genomic DNA isolated from zygotic embryos (seeds) of 7 chilli pepper varieties, namely Capsicum annuum L., California wonder, Yolo wonder, G-5, Pusa sadabahar, Pusa jyothi and LCA-335 and Capsicum chinense Jacq. variety Kotpar, was PCR-amplified using Pun1 allele specific primer MAP1. A DNA band admeasuring 479 bp was observed in C annuum L., varieties California wonder and Yolo wonder, while a DNA band admeasuring 494 bp was observed in the remaining 5 varieties. This polymorphism was used to discriminate non-pungent varieties namely California wonder and Yolo wonder from pungent varieties namely G-5, Pusa sadabahar, Pusa jyothi, LCA-335 and Kotpar. This method is useful to distinguish non-pungent varieties from pungent varieties, at seed level itself.