Validity Test for Molecular Markers Associated with Resistance to Phytophthora Root Rot in Chili Pepper (Capsicum annuum L.)

Phytophthora root rot has been causing a serious yield loss in pepper production. Since 2004, the year in which commercial cultivars resistant to the disease were firstly commercialized, it has been necessary to introduce the resistance into domestic pepper cultivars for dried red pepper. Therefore, developing molecular markers linked to the resistance is required for an accurate selection of resistant plants and increasing breeding efficiency. Until now, several markers associated with the major dominant gene resistant to Phytophthora root rot have been reported but they have some serious limitations for their usage. In this study, we aimed to develop molecular markers linked to the major dominant gene that can be used for almost of all genetic resources resistant to Phytophthora root rot. Two segregating F-2 populations derived from a 'Subicho' x 'CM334' combination and a commercial cultivar 'Dokyacheongcheong' were used to develop molecular markers associated with the resistance. After screening 1,024 AFLP primer combinations with bulked segregant analysis, three AFLP (AFLP1, AFLP2, and AFLP3) markers were identified and converted into three CAPS markers (M1-CAPS, M2-CAPS, and M3-CAPS), respectively. Among them, M3-CAPS marker was further studied in ten resistants, fourteen susceptibles, five hybrids and 53 commercial cultivars. As a result, M3-CAPS marker was more fitted to identify Phytophthora resistance than previously reported P5-SNAP and Phyto5.2-SCAR markers. The result indicated that the M3-CAPS marker will be useful for resistance breeding to Phytophthora root rot in chili pepper.