Agrobiodiversity and its role in relation to variability and genetic resources in Capsicum chinense pepper

Abstract

In recent decades, biodiversity has been undergoing an unprecedented degradation process in human history due to an outdated model of exploitation. Agrobiodiversity is part of biodiversity, but with a view contrary to that model, when seeking to interact with the numerous ecosystems and forms of production. Peppers, which are known worldwide among the hot spices and an important component of agrobiodiversity in our country, have been replaced by other farming options. in order to preserve the genetic diversity of peppers in Southern region of Brazil, Embrapa Clima Temperado has maintained an active germplasm bank (BAG) of Capsicum peppers since 2002. The aim of the study was to describe the genetic variability of pepper fruit of the species Capsicum chinense, as a form of documentation for the active germplasm bank (BAG) of Embrapa Clima Temperado. For this purpose, eleven pepper accessions from the Embrapa Clima Temperado’s Capsicum active germplasm bank were characterized using morphological descriptors recommended by the International Plant Genetic Resources Institute.