Chromosomal DNA content of sweet pepper determined by association of cytogenetic and cytometric tools.

The nuclear DNA content of sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum L. var. annuum, 2n = 24) has been measured by flow and image cytometries but the DNA content of each chromosome of this species has not yet been regarded. DNA content of individual chromosomes has been quantified by the flow karyotyping technique, which requires a great quantity of intact metaphasic chromosomes and methods that allow the characterization of individual chromosomes; however, the obtainment of adequate number of metaphases can be difficult in some species like C. annuum. In order to estimate the DNA content of each C. annuum var. annuum cv. "New Mexican" chromosome, flow and image cytometries were associated with the cytogenetic methodology. First, the DNA amount (2C = 6.90 pg) was established by flow cytometry. Integrated optical density (IOD) values were calculated by image cytometry for each Feulgen stained metaphasic chromosome. Then, by distributing the correspondent metaphasic value (4C = 13.80 pg) proportionally to average IOD values, the following chromosomal DNA contents were obtained in pg: 0.74 (chromosome 1), 0.67 (2), 0.61 (3, 4), 0.60 (5), 0.59 (6, 7), 0.58 (8), 0.57 (9), 0.56 (10) and 0.39 (11, 12). This study reports an alternative and reproducible technique that makes quantifying the chromosomal DNA content possible.