Chili Pepper Jojutla Morelos (Capsicum annuum L.), CJ-2018: A Variety Resistant to Bactericera cockerelli

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Bactericera cockerelli is a pest in different crops including chili, one of the main vegetables worldwide. The presence of this pest in crops causes significant damage to their yield. The control of B. cockerelli is mainly conducted using insecticides, which causes a detrimental effect on the environment and favors the development of resistant pest populations. The identification of pest-resistant plant varieties is the first step towards their future incorporation into management programs. However, chili pepper varieties resistant to B. cockerelli have not been identified. In the present research, different parameters were evaluated in two chili varieties to find out if they are resistant to B. cockerelli. The results obtained showed that B. cockerelli laid fewer eggs in ‘Criollo de Jojutla’ (CJ-2018) compared to the control and that very few eggs managed to reach the adult stage, indicating that CJ-2018 was highly resistant to B. cockerelli. This work constitutes the first step towards the use of CJ-2018-resistant traits for the management of B. cockerelli. ABSTRACT: Chili pepper is a vegetable of worldwide economic and gastronomic importance. The psyllid, Bactericera cockerelli, is an economically important pest in this crop, causing considerable losses in its production. Currently, the application of insecticides is the main way to control B. cockerelli. However, the use of varieties resistant to this insect is a viable alternative for its control and management. In this work, the oviposition rate, development, and survival of B. cockerelli in two native varieties of chili were evaluated. Choice and non-choice trials showed that the B. cockerelli oviposition was reduced on CJ-2018 by 92.17 and 80.18%, respectively, compared to the control. In CM-334, the insect showed a behavior similar to the control in the non-choice test, while in the choice test it laid more eggs on CM-334 compared to the control. The development and survival assay showed that only 1.33% of the eggs managed to reach the adult stage on CJ-2018. In contrast, on CM-334 the survival of B. cockerelli was similar to the control. These results suggest that CJ-2018 presented a resistance based on antixenosis and antibiosis against B. cockerelli.