The use of microsatellite markers to analyze genetic diversity of ornamental chili peppers (Capsicum spp.) and their transferability to cross amplification

Abstract

Abstract Ornamental chili peppers, as one of high economic value horticultural crops, present a high diversity which needs to be assessed. The aim of this study was to analyze the genetic diversity of ornamental chili pepper genotypes using microsatellite markers and to analyze the transferability of these markers to cross-amplification to ornamental chili pepper species other than Capsicum annuum L. Two generated main clusters revealed in this study, that the first cluster consisted entirely of genotypes from C. annuum species while the second cluster consisted of a mixture from C. annuum, C. chinense, and C. baccatum species. The highest genetic similarity was identified between Nazla IPB and Violeta IPB, and Viola IPB with Triwarsana IPB, with a similarity of 96% for both. Polymorphism analysis showed that all of the microsatellite markers used were classified as highly informative (PIC >0.5). Total markers were able to cross-species amplify all of the ornamental chili pepper genotypes, with an overall average amplification percentage of 96.25%, with most of them showing 100% cross-amplification. Selected microsatellite markers from this study could be used in species differentiation, molecular identification of interspecific hybrids, and assessing the genetic resource on broad genotypes of ornamental chili peppers.