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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Charleston, South Carolina » Vegetable Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #228687
Title: ‘TigerPaw-NR’, a New Root-knot Nematode Resistant Habanero-type Pepper

Author
item Fery, Richard
item Thies, Judy

Submitted to: International Pepper Conference Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/1/2008
Publication Date: 9/7/2008
Citation: Fery, R.L., Thies, J.A. 2008. ‘TigerPaw-NR’, a New Root-knot Nematode Resistant Habanero-type Pepper. Pp. 33-34. International Pepper Conference Proceedings. September 7-10, 2008, Atlantic City, NJ.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Most peppers grown in the United States belong to the species Capsicum annuum. However, the increasing popularity of hot peppers has created intense interest in the Habanero, a type of pepper that belongs to another domesticated Capsicum species, C. chinense. Habanero-type peppers are some of the world’s most pungent peppers. Root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.) are major pests of Habanero-type peppers. The ideal solution to this pest problem would be the use of resistant cultivars, but none of the Habanero-type cultivars heretofore available to U.S. pepper growers are resistant. In 1995, we initiated a recurrent backcross breeding program to transfer a dominant root-knot nematode resistance gene from the Scotch Bonnnet-type pepper accession PA-426 into the Habanero-type cultigen PA-350. This backcross breeding program resulted in the January 9, 2006, release of the root-knot nematode resistant cultivar TigerPaw-NR. ‘TigerPaw-NR’ was derived from a single BC4F4 plant grown in 2002. ‘TigerPaw-NR’ has a compact plant habit and produces attractive lantern-shaped, orange-colored fruit. The results of three replicated field studies conducted at Charleston, SC, indicate that the fruit and yield characteristics of ‘TigerPaw-NR’ are comparable to those of currently available Habanero-type cultivars. A typical fruit weighs 7.8 g, is 2.7 cm wide x 4.4 cm long, and is extremely pungent (348,634 Scoville heat units). The root-knot nematode resistant ‘TigerPaw-NR’ is recommended for use by both commercial growers and home gardeners. The USDA-ARS has applied for a Plant Variety Protection Certificate for ‘TigerPaw-NR’ and is currently seeking a licensee to market the cultivar.