Unravelling the novel source of resistance and differential reactions on chilli die back and fruit rot through screening of various chilli genotypes

IntroductionCapsicum annuum, or chili, is a valuable vegetable and spice crop that is grown all over the world.Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan are among the states in India that produce the most chilies.About 54.41 thousand hectares of chili are produced in Madhya Pradesh, with an average yield of 0.98 tons per hectare and a production of 93.57thousand metric tons (1).Colletotrichum species are important plant pathogens on a global scale, producing illnesses in a variety of crops, including cereals, legumes, vegetables, and fruits, such as die-back, anthracnose, fruit rot, leaf spot, wilt, and damping-off (2).Depending on the chili type, die-back in chili (Capsicum annuum) caused by Colletotrichum capsica (Syd.)Butler and Bisby can cause yield reductions of 10% to 60%(3).Initial reports of die-back and fruit rot caused by Colletotrichum brevisporum emerged from bromeliads (Neoregalia sp.) and Pandanus pygmaeus in Thailand, its endophytic form in Lyciumchinense Miller in Korea, and papaya in Brazil (4).Chili holds a special place in global cuisine, consumed both as a dried spice and as a fresh vegetable.In Punjab, die-back caused by this pathogen has led to yield losses of 66-84%.Chemical control m e a s u re s fo r d i e -b a c k c a n b e ex p e n s ive a n d p o s e environmental hazards, making the development of resistant chili varieties the most practical and sustainable management approach.