Resistance of Pepper to Phytophthora Crown, Root, and Fruit Rot Is Affected by Isolate Virulence

Greenhouse and laboratory experiments were conducted to determine the virulence of four Phytophthora capsici isolates from Michigan to 31 bell and hot pepper cultivars and breeding lines. Resistance to crown and root rot was assessed following the inoculation of soilless media with P. capsici-infested millet seed. In a detached fruit assay, fruit rot resistance was evaluated following inoculation with zoospore suspensions of 1.75 × 10⁶ zoospores/ml. The four isolates differed in virulence to pepper lines screened for crown and root rot resistance and were considered to be four different physiological races. The pepper lines CM334, NY07-8001, NY07-8006, and NY07-8007 were resistant to the isolates tested. None of the commercial cultivars were resistant to P. capsici isolate 12889, but several cultivars were resistant to the other isolates screened. The isolates varied in their ability to cause infection on the fruits of the different cultivars. Overall, pepper fruit were more susceptible to P. capsici than the roots and crowns. Management of Phytophthora crown and root rot of pepper can be improved through the use of resistant cultivars. However, since isolate virulence affects resistance, cultivar resistance will need to be utilized on a local scale accordingly.