Title of the project: Assuring quality and market position of Hungarian sweet and spicy paprika by using classic breeding combined with modern biotechnology

Title of the project: Assuring quality and market position of Hungarian sweet and spicy paprika by using classic breeding combined with modern biotechnology.

Summary of the project:

Owing to its excellent quality the Hungarian paprika has become internationally renowned during the past decades. In order to continuously guarantee the quality of paprika, as well as to maintain its marketability the consortium is about to map the Hungarian paprika genome, to perform traditional breeding, as well as – in harmony with the biotechnology methods – to create competitive new cultivars of paprika. Mapping paprika genome may provide means for protection against viral and bacterial diseases, designed use of this knowledge will result in the development of new cultivars and, following their identification, the targeted application of colour determinant genes of spicy pepper. The principal aim of the consortium is to carry out research and development based on sound fundamental science to achieve modern paprika breeding. Incorporating genetic material, coding for properties that had been identified in the course of genetic mapping, into new species may eliminate the economic damage caused by diseases. Furthermore, mapping and identifying genes responsible for the dominant dye component of spicy pepper will enable us to increase competitiveness, as well as to ensure the excellent red colour so characteristic for paprika. With patenting the genes to be identified we intend to ensure the up-to-date legal protection of the Hungarian cultivars.