New source of resistance to Cucumber mosaic virus in Capsicum frutescens

A small-fruited pungent pepper accession, Capsicum frutescens 'BG2814-6', i s resistant to several isolates of Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV). Resistance in BG2814-6 is incompletely penetrant and is controlled by at least two maj or recessive genes. The accession BG2814-6 and C. annuum 'Perennial', the l eading source of CMV tolerance, appear to share one or more CMV resistance genes. CMV was detected in uninoculated leaves in a small percentage of bot h BG2814-6 and Perennial plants, indicating that resistance is not absolute in either genotype. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay absorbance values of samples taken from inoculated leaves corresponded well with visible viral symptoms for parental genotypes. While Perennial plants accumulated CMV ant igen in inoculated leaves, CMV antigen was not detected in inoculated leave s of 73% of BG2814-6 plants, suggesting that there may be a mechanistic dif ference in resistance between the two genotypes.