4d.Progress report.
This report serves to document research conducted under a specific cooperative agreement between ARS and Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Additional details of the research can be found in the report for the parent project 1275-21000-172-00D "Genetic enhancement of quality constituents and disease resistance in Solanaceous vegetables."

This cooperative project will determine the expression and control of structural and regulatory genes for anthocyanin coloration of leaves, flowers, and fruit in pepper. Expression of anthocyanin-related genes will be examined pepper fruit, leaf and flower tissue in plants of varying genotype and pigmentation using viral-induced break and related to viral RNA distribution. Gene expression of the affected steps will be examined, and comparisons made between the plant genes and viral sequences for localized homology that might cause silencing. The relationship between the pattern of viral distribution, gene expression and anthocyanin concentration will be determined. The research will result in new knowledge to facilitate enhancement of anthocyanin composition in pepper and related crops. Selectable markers useful in breeding for tissue-specific anthocyanin accumulation will be developed. The Specific Cooperative Agreement takes advantage of complementary expertise at ARS and Virginia Tech. The project was recently funded on June 6, 2005. Hence, there is no reportable progress beyond that noted in the parent project.