Department of Tropical Plant & Soil Sciences, University of Hawaii at Manoa, St. John Plant Science Laboratory, Room 102, 3190 Maile Way, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA
Michael B. Kantar
Department of Tropical Plant & Soil Sciences, University of Hawaii at Manoa, St. John Plant Science Laboratory, Room 102, 3190 Maile Way, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA
Julianne Branca
Department of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, 225 Food Science and Nutrition, 1334 Eckles Ave, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA
Sarah Moore
Department of Tropical Plant & Soil Sciences, University of Hawaii at Manoa, St. John Plant Science Laboratory, Room 102, 3190 Maile Way, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA
Matthew K. Frederiksen
Department of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, 225 Food Science and Nutrition, 1334 Eckles Ave, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA
Landon Hagen
Department of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, 225 Food Science and Nutrition, 1334 Eckles Ave, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA
Tanveer Hussain
Institute of Horticultural Sciences, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad 38040, Punjab, Pakistan
David J. Baumler
Department of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, 225 Food Science and Nutrition, 1334 Eckles Ave, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA
Aeroponic cloning is a great strategy to maintain desired genotypes by generating a whole new plant from cuttings. While this propagation technique has been demonstrated for tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum) and potatoes (Solanum tuberosum), no protocol has been developed for peppers (Capsicum spp.). The ability to clonally propagate different Capsicum holds promise for domestic and industrial growing operations since elite cultivars with desirable traits (e.g., high capsaicin levels, nutrient content, and striped fruit) can be perpetuated without the need of planning a nursery. We tested six Capsicum species for their feasibility of aeroponic cloning by stem cuttings. All domestic species were successfully regenerated under aeroponic conditions but not for Capsicum eximium, a wild species. Of the species analyzed, Capsicum annuum peppers had the fastest node formation (11.6 +/− 0.89 days, P ≤ 0.01) and obtained a larger volume of roots (P ≤ 0.01) after node formation as compared to C. baccatum, C. frutescens, and C. pubescens. This study presents a cost-effective strategy to clonally propagate peppers for personal, industrial, and conservation purposes.
