Pepper (Capsicum annuum) Plants Harboring the Begomovirus Resistance Gene pepy-1 Show Delayed Symptom Progress and High Productivity Under Natural Field Conditions

Pepper yellow leaf curl disease (PepYLCD) caused by begomoviruses is one of the most devastating diseases affecting pepper (Capsicum spp.) production worldwide. In our previous study, a loss-of-function allele, pepy-1, encoding messenger RNA surveillance factor Pelota was identified as a begomovirus resistance gene from a C. annuum cultivar BaPep-5. In this study, to investigate the effectiveness of pepy-1 conferred resistance against begomovirus in the field, we conducted a three-year evaluation under natural field conditions in Indonesia. The lowest PepYLCD incidence and significantly higher fruit productivity were observed in BaPep-5 when compared to six other commonly cultivated pepper cultivars. The subsequent comparison between BaPep-5 and the susceptible BaPep-4 showed that pepy-1 slowed down the disease onset and progression, resulting in a higher fruit productivity trait in the field. Multiple comparison analyses using an F2 population obtained by crossing BaPep-5 with BaPep-4 showed that the pepy-1 homozygous individuals had significantly higher fruit productivity, twice than those of the Pepy-1 homozygous or heterozygous individuals. In conclusion, the introgression of pepy-1 is effective to reduce the economic loss of pepper fruit production under natural field infection of begomoviruses.