A Global Strategy for the Conservation and Use of Capsicum Genetic Resources

Capsicum diversity, genetic resource collections, and acquisition priorities

Of particular interest would be the identification of the progenitors of cultivated C. chinense, C. frutescens, and C. pubescens, if they still persist.

A second priority would be the completion of crossability and phylogenetic studies across all Capsicum taxa, which will be important for clearer establishment of clades, complexes, and genepool classifications within the genus.

Within the cultivated taxa, some further elucidation of patterns of varietal and genetic diversity is needed, for example for C. annuum in South and Southeast Asia, C. chinense in West and Central Africa and in parts of Asia, and C. frutescens in Africa and Asia.

Further collaboration in comparing accessions at the nomenclatural, phenotypic, and genetic levels will be needed to arrive at a clearer understanding of the distinctness of accessions and degree of duplication both within and among collections.

the wild species are generally extremely poorly represented ex situ, with only a few exceptions, i.e. C. annuum var. glabriusculum, C. chacoense, and potentially C. baccatum var. baccatum in terms of absolute number of accessions; C. cardenasii may also be considered fairly well represented in the context. Further collecting within taxonomic hotspots, namely Brazil, Andean countries, and parts of Mesoamerica are of particular importance and may provide an opportunity for efficient collecting of multiple taxa and ecotypes of coverage across its geographic range (Khoury et al. 2019). Further collecting of the remaining wild species, as well as of geographic and ecological gaps in even these aforementioned wild relatives, is clearly needed to improve their representation in ex situ conservation and their availability and accessibility for research, including for plant breeding.

 

Structure, management, and conditions of Capsicum collections

Further efforts should certainly be made to ensure presence in long-term infrastructure for all distinct accessions, either at their current sites or through duplication at institutions with the appropriate infrastructure. Likewise, further efforts to improve storage materials (e.g. aluminium packets) and processes (i.e. temperature and humidity standards) should be made for collections not currently following optimum practices.

There is a clear and pressing need to study the multitude of factors contributing to loss of viability for all Capsicum species in storage and to develop a set of standards to ensure best practices.

 

Regeneration and multiplication of Capsicum genetic resources

Further efforts are clearly needed to reduce the number of accessions urgently needing regeneration.

 

Documentation and information sharing on Capsicum genetic resources

Further efforts are needed to provide up-to-date information on Capsicum collections through global databases such as Genesys and FAO WIEWS.

 

Use of Capsicum genetic resources

Improving access to Capsicum genetic resources is not simple or straightforward, as it is often linked to national and institutional policy which is largely outside the responsibilities and power of Capsicum genetic resources practitioners. All efforts to motivate more open sharing of these resources are important, including by advocating for the inclusion of Capsicum within Annex 1 of the ITPGRFA, based on its clear international importance.

 

In situ conservation of Capsicum genetic resources

The lowest hanging fruit for improving the conservation of the wild species is through the confirmation of the persistence of such populations, and of population sizes likely to be viable under current and projected future pressures, within existing protected and other open space areas, and subsequently through the development of active management plans for pop- ulations within these areas.

Threats to landraces are less well understood but should be assumed to be real and increasing in most regions. Improving in situ (on farm) conservation of these resources is challenging as farmers necessarily balance several priorities critical to their livelihoods, the conservation of genetic diversity being only one (if at all)