New Capsicum annuum pepper contains high concentrations of beneficial capsinoids

Recent release of germplasm gives plant breeders, researchers new source of capsinoids

2014-03-26

(Press-News.org) ORONO, ME--Researchers have released a new Capsicum annuum pepper germplasm that contains high concentrations of capsinoids. The release was announced in the January 2014 issue of HortScience by researchers Robert L. Jarret from the USDA/Agricultural Research Service in Griffin, Georgia, in collaboration with Jason Bolton and L. Brian Perkins from the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition at the University of Maine.

According to the report, the germplasm called "509-45-1" is a small-fruited Capsicum annuum L. pepper. Fruit of 509-45-1 contain high concentrations of capsiate in both immature and mature fruit. "The release of 509-45-1 will provide researchers and plant breeders with a new source of capsinoids, thus facilitating the production of and further research on these non-pungent biologically active compounds," Jarret said.

Pungent capsaicinoids--the compounds found in the capsicum family of plants that give them their signature heat--have many benefits. Unfortunately, their use as ingredients in foods and pharmaceuticals has been limited by the very characteristic that makes them popular as a spice--their pungency. Non-pungent capsinoids, analogs of capsaicinoids, were first isolated from a sweet pepper cultivar. Capsinoids offer similar types of biological activity as capsaicinoids without the pungency, and are known to provide antioxidant activity, enhance adrenal function, promote metabolism, and suppress body fat accumulation.

The scientists began the breeding process in 2005 by screening 120 Capsicum annuum cultivars for the occurrence of capsinoids. Further selections eventually resulted in a single plant bearing immature fruit that contained greater than 1000 ug·g𔂿 FW capsinoids with no detectable capsaicinoids. Seeds harvested from this plant were subsequently designated as 509-45-1.

Small quantities of seed of 509-45-1 are available for research purposes from Dr. Jarret. Genetic material of the release has been deposited in the National Plant Germplasm System, and is available for research purposes, including the development and commercialization of new varieties/cultivars. The researchers request appropriate recognition if 509-45-1 contributes to research, to production of capsinoids, or to development of breeding lines or cultivars.

INFORMATION:

The complete study and abstract are available on the ASHS HortScience electronic journal web site: http://hortsci.ashspublications.org/content/49/1/107.full

Founded in 1903, the American Society for Horticultural Science (ASHS) is the largest organization dedicated to advancing all facets of horticultural research, education, and application. More information at ashs.org

ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

AGU: New study shows major increase in West Antarctic glacial loss

2014-03-26

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Six massive glaciers in West Antarctica are moving faster than they did 40 years ago, causing more ice to discharge into the ocean and global sea level to rise, according to new research. The amount of ice draining collectively from those half-dozen glaciers increased by 77 percent from 1973 to 2013, scientists report this month in Geophysical Research Letters, a journal of the American Geophysical Union. Pine Island Glacier, the most active of the studied glaciers, has accelerated by 75 percent in 40 years, according to the paper. Thwaites Glacier, ...

Phloem production in Huanglongbing-affected citrus trees

2014-03-26

LAKE ALFRED, FL--Citrus Huanglongbing (citrus greening disease) is highly destructive and fast-spreading, contributing to a reduction in crop yields in Florida and threatening the future of the citrus industry worldwide. Once infected, trees never fully recover and there currently is no cure, although proper nutrient and water management appear to slow tree decline in some situations. A bacterium called Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas), vectored by the Asian citrus psyllid, is the presumed causal agent of the disease. Citrus trees affected by HLB exhibit a progressive ...

Study identifies key player in motor neuron death in Lou Gehrig's disease

2014-03-26

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, is marked by a cascade of cellular and inflammatory events that weakens and kills vital motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord. The process is complex, involving cells that ordinarily protect the neurons from harm. Now, a new study by scientists in The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital points to a potential culprit in this good-cell-gone-bad scenario, a key step toward the ultimate goal of developing a treatment. Motor neurons, or nerve cells, in the brain and spinal cord control ...

Repeat sternotomy for aortic valve replacement safe option for octogenarian patients

2014-03-26

Beverly, MA, March 26, 2014 – Surgical aortic valve replacement generally improves patients' symptoms and prolongs survival. However, the perceived risk of surgical aortic valve replacement in patients over 80 may result in surgery being denied or a recommendation for alternative therapy. Investigators at the Mayo Clinic challenge the way these patients have been managed. They report that repeat sternotomy in patients over 80 who have previously had coronary bypass graft surgery can be done with low risk. Their findings are published in the Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular ...

Prestorage conditioning, diphenylamine improve condition of 'honeycrisp' apple

2014-03-26

EAST LANSING, MI--Since the introduction of 'Honeycrisp' apples in 1991, the variety has become a consumer favorite for its unusual texture and delicious flavor. Honeycrisp has increased in popularity with growers as well; Michigan, New York, and Washington boast significant numbers of 'Honeycrisp' orchards. As the growing area dedicated to the variety has grown, the need to find better methods for improving storage performance has become more important to growers. Because 'Honeycrisp' is very sensitive to low temperatures and can be damaged by controlled-atmosphere conditions, ...

Nitrogen source determined significant for inflorescence development in Phalaenopsis

2014-03-26

TAIPEI, TAIWAN--The Phalaenopsis orchid, also known as the moth orchid, is the most important pot flower in terms of market value in the world's major floriculture markets. Because nitrogen significantly affects the growth and flowering of Phalaenopsis, nitrogen needs during flowering are of particular interest to growers. Researchers Hadi Susilo, Ying-Chun Peng, and Yao-Chien Alex Chang from the Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture at National Taiwan University published a study in the Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science that determined ...

Engineered bacteria produce biofuel alternative for high-energy rocket fuel

2014-03-26

Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology and the Joint BioEnergy Institute have engineered a bacterium to synthesize pinene, a hydrocarbon produced by trees that could potentially replace high-energy fuels, such as JP-10, in missiles and other aerospace applications. With improvements in process efficiency, the biofuel could supplement limited supplies of petroleum-based JP-10, and might also facilitate development of a new generation of more powerful engines. By inserting enzymes from trees into the bacterium, first author and Georgia Tech graduate student ...

Ancient sea creatures filtered food like modern whales

2014-03-26

The animals lived 520 million years ago during the Early Cambrian, a period known as the 'Cambrian Explosion' in which all the major animal groups and complex ecosystems suddenly appeared. Tamisiocaris belongs to a group of animals called anomalocarids, a type of early arthropod that included the largest and some of the most iconic animals of the Cambrian period. They swam using flaps down either side of the body and had large appendages in front of their mouths that they most likely used to capture larger prey, such as trilobites. However, the newly discovered fossils ...

First ring system around asteroid

2014-03-26

The rings of Saturn are one of the most spectacular sights in the sky, and less prominent rings have also been found around the other giant planets. Despite many careful searches, no rings had been found around smaller objects orbiting the Sun in the Solar System. Now observations of the distant minor planet [1] (10199) Chariklo [2] as it passed in front of a star have shown that this object too is surrounded by two fine rings. "We weren't looking for a ring and didn't think small bodies like Chariklo had them at all, so the discovery — and the amazing amountof detail ...

Gut metabolism changes -- not stomach size -- linked to success of vertical sleeve gastrectomy

2014-03-26

CINCINNATI—It's not the size of the stomach that causes weight loss after a specific type of bariatric surgery, but rather a change in the gut metabolism, say researchers from the University of Cincinnati (UC), the University of Gothenburg in Sweden and Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center. The scientists, publishing their results in the March 26, 2014, advanced online edition of Nature, have found that following vertical sleeve gastrectomy, there is a change in bile acids that bind to a nuclear receptor called FXR. In the absence of FXR, the researchers showed, ...

New Capsicum annuum pepper contains high concentrations of beneficial capsinoids

ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES: