Isolation and viral infection of Capsicum leaf protoplasts.

A protocol for protoplast isolation was developed and tested with five Capsicum genotypes representing two cultivated species, C. annuum and C. chinense. Key variables included growth conditions for source plants and the concentration of mannitol used as osmoticum. Protoplasts isolated from each of the genotypes became infected when inoculated via electroporation with viral RNA from either pepper mottle potyvirus, tobacco etch potyvirus or cucumber mosaic cucumovirus.