Objetivando resistência genética ao ácaro branco (Polyphagotarsonemus latus), foram avaliadas 15 introduções de Capsicum, originárias do Banco de Germoplasma de Hortaliças da UFV, um híbrido e quatro cultivares de pimentão. O estudo foi conduzido em casa de vegetação, sob condições de disseminação natural do ácaro, adotando-se delineamento experimental inteiramente casualizado com seis repetições por genótipo. As avaliações foram procedidas através da contagem do número de ácaros adultos presentes em amostras de folhas e de uma escala de notas referente à severidade dos sintomas. A avaliação por meio de sintomas mostrou-se mais adequada para diferenciar os genótipos em resistentes e suscetíveis. Do material genético avaliado, destacaram-se as introduções BGH/UFV 1774 (C. annuum) e BGH/UFV 5086 (C. frutescens) como resistente e altamente resistente a Polyphagotarsonemus latus, respectivamente.

A comprehensive study of stem, leaf and petiole anatomy of 10 species of Strobilanthes from northern Western Ghats of India was carried out to identify characteristics which would enable species identification when flowering material is unavailable. In Strobilanthes, some species bloom annually, others are plietesials, i.e. they grow without blooming for several years and then produce huge quantities of flowers, release seeds and die. Therefore, alternative methods, such as anatomical characters, are essential to distinguish Strobilanthes species in their vegetative stage. We collected ten species of Strobilanthes for anatomical characterization. Under the bright‐field microscope, stem cross‐sections of different species were found to be undulate, quadrangular, quadrangular‐winged or terete. Study of the stem revealed a distinct outer and inner cortex, the distribution of cystoliths (CaCO3 crystals), raphides (CaC2H2O5 crystals) and sclereids which varied from species to species. Study of leaf anatomy showed structural variation and vascular bundle shapes that differed between the species. Leaf epidermal characters under light and scanning electron microscopy exhibited variation in characters such as stomatal index, stomatal length and width, stomatal type and presence of glandular and non‐glandular trichomes. The petiole anatomy was species‐specific, especially with respect to vascular bundle structure and the distribution of structures such as sclereids, cystoliths, sphaeraphides and tannin cells varied. Hence, unique anatomical features of the stem, leaf and petiole could be used as taxonomic characters to identify Strobilanthes species in a vegetative state.