Origin, distribution, taxonomy, botanical description, genetic diversity and breeding of capsicum (Capsicum annuum L.)

Capsicum and Chilli peppers (Capsicum annuum L.) belongs to the Capsicum genus and family Solanaceae. The common names in English are Cayenne Pepper, Chili Pepper, Christmas Pepper, Ornamental Pepper, Red Pepper and Sweet Pepper. The names in different Indian languages are Hindi: Mirch, Manipuri: Morok, Tamil: Mulaga, Malayalam: Pacha Mulagu, Mizo: Hmarcha-te, Vai-hmarcha, and Angami: Kedi-chusi. The genus Capsicum was originated in South America and it is believed that both Mexico and Central America could also be considered as a diversity spot for the taxa and it is classified as an important genetic resource for agriculture and food. The archaeological evidence at sites located in southwestern Ecuador showed that chili pepper was domesticated more than 6,000 years ago, and it is one of the first cultivated crops in the Central and South Americas. Chili crops are grown in Pakistan, India, China, Ethiopia, Myanmar, Mexico, Vietnam, Turkey, Peru, Ghana, Bangladesh, Japan, Africa, and America. The genus Capsicum comprises variying number (20- 200) species of which only six species (namely Capsicum annuum, C. baccatum, C. frutescence, C. chinense, C. pubescens and C. assamicum) are cultivated. The last one was recently identified as a distinct domesticated species from the North Eastern part of India. Capsicum assamicum, popularly known as Naga chilli or Bhut Jolokia, is a chilli species endemic to Northeast region of India and is widely cultivated in the states of Assam, Nagaland, and Manipur. It is one of the top ten hottest chillies in the world and is popular for its pungency and aroma, peculiar to this chilli species. It is consumed either raw or as a spice in culinary preparations and also used traditionally for home remedies against several ailments for ages. Its high capsaicin content of 3–5 percent makes it the most promising chilli species for extraction of oleoresin on a commercial scale, having wide applications in pharmaceutical and defense sectors, besides its use as a value-added product. Of the six domesticated species of the genus Capsicum, C. annuum is the most widely cultivated in India for its pungent (chilli syn. hot pepper) and non-pungent (sweet pepper syn. capsicum, bell pepper) fruits. The cultivation of Pepper (chilli and sweet) market types prevalent in India can broadly be grouped into the following 4 categories: (i) fresh market (green, red, multi-color whole fruits), (ii) fresh processing (sauce, paste, canning, pickling), (iii) dried spice (whole fruits and powder), and (iv) industrial extracts (paprika oleoresin, capsaicinoids and carotenoids). Besides conventional nutritional food uses, a number of versatile food (paprika oleoresin) and non-food (defense, spiritual, ethnobotanical) uses of chillies are known. Capsicums are used in salads, baked and stuffed dishes, stews, stir-fries, salsa, pizzas and cheeses, pickles and for stuffing olives. They may also be used for producing paprika which is used for colouring foods, flavouring and in sauces. Chillies are the most important spice crop in the world. They may be used fresh, in pickles, sauces, salsa, pizzas, flavouring and pastes. There is an increasing demand in Australia for new ways of using chillies for culinary use. Peppers may also be used as ornamental plants or as a source of extracts for use in various pharmaceutical or cosmetic products. Some studies state that pungency of red fruits is due to the synthesis and accumulation of capsaicinoids characteristics from the genus Capsicum. These are secondary metabolites originated in the seed testa, and capsaicine is the most important element including dihydrocapsaicine, nordihydrocapsaicine, homocapsaicine and homodihydrocapsaicine. It has been confirmed that capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin build up approximately 90% of the total content of capsaicinoides in chili. The main objectives of peppers genetic breeding are characteristics such as productivity, disease and pests resistance, fruit characteristics (bioactive compounds, fruit color, pungency, flavor), and abiotic stresses (drought, salinity). In this review article Origin, Distribution, Taxonomy, Botanical Description, Genetics and cytogenetics, Genetic Diversity, Breeding, Uses, Nutritional Value and Health Benefits of Capsicum (Capsicum annuum L.) are discussed.