The root‐knot nematode resistance <i>N</i>‐gene co‐localizes in the <i>Me</i>‐genes cluster on the pepper (<i>Capsicum annuum</i> L.) P9 chromosome

<jats:sec><jats:label/><jats:p><jats:italic>With 3 figures and 3 tables</jats:italic></jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:p>Root‐knot nematodes (<jats:italic>Meloidogyne</jats:italic> spp.) are major plant pathogens, affecting several solanaceous crops worldwide including pepper (<jats:italic>Capsicum</jats:italic> spp.). Owing to the drastic reduction in the use of most nematicides, breeding for root‐knot nematode resistance is a major challenge for pepper breeders. In pepper, resistance to this pathogen is dominant and controlled by several <jats:italic>Me</jats:italic>‐genes, which were mapped on the pepper P9 chromosome using PCR‐based markers, and by the <jats:italic>N</jats:italic>‐gene which was shown to be linked to <jats:italic>Me3</jats:italic> using allelism tests. In this study, we developed PCR‐based markers and showed that the <jats:italic>N</jats:italic>‐gene colocalized in the <jats:italic>Me</jats:italic>‐genes cluster on the P9 chromosome on pepper reference maps using <jats:sc>carthagene</jats:sc> software (INRA: Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, Toulouse, France). <jats:italic>N</jats:italic> was mapped at 7 cM from <jats:italic>Me1</jats:italic> and 2 cM from <jats:italic>Me3</jats:italic> which is confirmed to be allelic to <jats:italic>Me7</jats:italic> according to allelism resistance tests. The tightly linked markers to <jats:italic>Me</jats:italic> and <jats:italic>N</jats:italic>‐genes will be very useful for the marker‐assisted selection of nematodes resistance in pepper and to study the durability of these <jats:italic>R</jats:italic>‐genes, alone or pyramided in different genetic backgrounds.</jats:p></jats:sec>