Diversity and evolution of chili peppers, the genus Capsicum (Solanaceae)

The comparative study of this genus addresses evolutionary questions concerning the impact and frequencies of genomic changes on diversification and speciation. The repetitive genome fraction of all Capsicum species (wild and cultivated) is examined for correlation with genome size variation. Additionally, the origin, patterns and mechanisms of the evolution of various repeats in the genomes of nearly 40 related Capsicum species is addressed.