Genetic, Epigenetic, and Hormonal Regulation of Fruit Development and Ripening inCapsicumL. Species

Abstract

Fruits are not only important for the plants but also for ensuring sustainable food security of the burgeoning global population. Considering the huge nutritional and ecological importance of fruits, investigation of mechanisms, and factors governing their development and ripening is crucial. The investigation of fruit development in several economically important crops such as tomato, strawberry, grape, and banana includingCapsicumsuggest that early fruit development is largely dependent on auxins and gibberellins (GAs) whereas later ripening is dependent on ethylene or abscisic acid (ABA). The initial development is relatively conserved whereas the ripening of fruits can be either climacteric or non‐climacteric depending on the presence or absence of respiratory burst and ethylene production respectively. Climacteric fruit ripening is mediated by ethylene, and it is well studied in tomato and banana, whereas non‐climacteric fruit ripening requires ABA and much of the information on it comes from strawberry and grape. The genusCapsicumL. shows rich diversity in fruit traits such as shape, colour, size, and even in its ripening behaviour. Early fruit development in different species ofCapsicumappears similar to other fruit crops, whereas later fruit ripening behaviour in different species ofCapsicumcan be either climacteric or non‐climacteric depending upon evolution of ethylene and respiratory burst. It has been found that, even different cultivars of the same species ofCapsicumshow variation in ripening behaviour suggesting interspecific and intraspecific complexities in fruit ripening responses. Until a few years, a majority of the papers have focussed on the non‐climacteric nature of fruit ripening inCapsicum. However, recent studies have shown substantial involvement of ethylene and ethylene related genes in fruit ripening ofCapsicumsuggesting the existence of extensive common regulons between climacteric and non‐climacteric fruits. Recent studies have also suggested the involvement of several epigenetic mechanisms such as non‐coding RNAs (ncRNAs) and cytosine methylation in regulating fruit development and ripening. With the advent of new tools in the omics field such as genomics, transcriptomics, metabolomics, and epigenomics, there is considerable progress in understanding the fruit development and complex nature of ripening inCapsicum. Nevertheless, consolidated information onCapsicumfruit development and its complex nature of ripening is not available. In this article, an attempt is made to present up to date consolidated information on the development and ripening ofCapsicumfruit with an emphasis on its genetic, epigenetic, and hormonal regulation.

Genes Responsible in The Shape and Size of Solanaceae Fruits

“…An OVATE-like gene, called CaOvate, has been identified in the genus Capsicum (Chili) and has a similar function to OVATE [46]. CaOvate has been shown to regulate not only the shape but also the elongation of the fruit in capsicums by modulating the expression level of the gibberellin gene CaGA20ox1 [40]. Downregulating CaOvate leads to higher levels of active GA in the fruit flesh (pericarp), make elongation on fruit and increased expression of CaGA20ox1 (Figure 3b) [47], and demontrated an oval-shaped fruit.…”

Insight into the Phylogenetic Relationships and Evolutionary History of Pepper Cultivars (Capsicum annuum L.) through Comparative Analyses of Plastomes

“…Capsicum annuum is classified into two distinct types based on pungency and fruit shape: hot pepper and bell pepper. In addition to their agricultural significance, both types of peppers are vital genetic resources that drive research efforts, including the development of monitoring systems for detecting transformation, gene editing and transformation, and enhancement of agricultural traits, such as fruit development, capsaicin synthesis, and disease resistance [10][11][12][13][14][15]. In recent studies, CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats) tools have been effectively employed for genome editing to improve disease resistance in both hot and bell peppers [11,16].…”

Colored Shading Nets Differentially Affect the Phytochemical Profile, Antioxidant Capacity, and Fruit Quality of Piquin Peppers (Capsicum annuum L. var. glabriusculum)

“…These phytochemicals are biosynthesized by distinct cellular and physiological mechanisms that occur during regular fruit development and maturation. The level of accumulation is regulated by internal signals (including plant hormones) and external factors [6].…”