Tri-species bridge crosses (C. annuum L. x C. chinense Jacq.) x (C. chinense Jacq. x C. frutescens L.) as an alternative approach for introgression of Cucumber Mosaic Virus (CMV) and Chilli Veinal Mosaic Virus (CVMV) resistance

Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) and Chilli Veinal Mosaic Virus (CVMV) are among the most destructive viruses affecting chilli crop in Sri Lanka. Identification of resistant sources and combining them in to cultivated forms is essential in resistance breeding. Capsicum frutescens L. has been reported as a source of variation for many different traits including disease resistance to improve chilli (Capsicum annum L.). However, strong inter-specific hybridization barriers exist between them. In the present study, wide hybridization approach for introgressing C. frutescens L. genes into C. annuum L. was performed through genetic bridging using C. Chinense Jacq. as a bridge species. Diverse collection of 115 accessions from three cultivated species of C. annuum L. (28), C. Chinense Jacq. (63) and C. frutescens L. (24) was screened for CMV and CVMV resistance. Two C. frutescens L. accessions were resistant to both viruses and six C. Chinense Jacq. Accessions were resistant to CVMV. In Genetic bridge approach three way hybrids and double crosses were produced among these three species. The double crosses [(C. annuum L. x C.chinense) x (C. Chinense Jacq.x C. frutescens L.)] and [(C. Chinense Jacq.x C. annuum L.) x (C. Chinense Jacq. x C. frutescens L.)] were more successful than the three way crosses when considering the combining of C. frutescens L. traits into C. annuum L. and development of resistance to CMV and CVMV.