Hot pepper (Capsicum annuum), one of the oldest domesticated crops in the Americas,
is the most widely grown spice crop in the world. Also, it is the most widely grown spice
in the world and is a major ingredient in most global cuisines. Hot pepper has a various horticultural
uses such as ingredients for diverse cuisines, pharmaceuticals, natural coloring agents and cosmetics.
Hot pepper provides many essential vitamins, minerals and nutrients that have great importance
for human health. In 2011, the top 20 pepper-producing countries grew 33.3 million tons of hot pepper planted on 3.8 Mha
(United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) statistics).
Many types of peppers have been bred for heat, size, and yield. Along with selection of specific
fruit traits such as flavor and color, specific pest, disease and abiotic stress resistances are
continually being selected.
Publications:
Kim et al. (2014) Genome sequence of the hot pepper provides insights into the evolution of pungency in Capsicum species.
Nature genetics 46, pages 270-278
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