Polyploidization of interspecific hybrids to create rootstocks for eggplant and pepper

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to eggplant and pepper allotetraploid plants and hybrid allopolyploid plants having desirable traits, such as resistance to an abiotic or biotic stressor, which may be used as rootstock for cultivated varieties. The disclosure further relates to composite eggplants and pepper plants comprising the allopolyploid plants described herein as the rootstock. The disclosure further relates to methods of producing eggplant and pepper allopolyploid plants and hybrid allopolyploid plants.

Description

POLYPLOIDIZATION OF INTERSPECIFIC HYBRIDS TO CREATEROOTSTOCKS FOR EGGPLANT AND PEPPERCROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 699,314 filed on September 26, 2024, the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety.FIELD

[0002] The present disclosure relates to the fields of agriculture, plant biotechnology, and molecular biology. More specifically, the disclosure relates to allopolyploid plants and methods of producing allopolyploid plants having desirable traits and methods of using them .BACKGROUND

[0003] It is becoming more challenging for farmers to satisfy the increasing worldwide demand for food. Traditional breeding methods and / or transgenic technologies can develop improved plant varieties, however incompatibility between species, complex multifactorial and polygenic traits, and restrictions on genetically modified crops can prevent and / or hinder progress. One way to introduce new traits is to conduct interspecific crosses of cultivated varieties with wild species having a desirable trait, such as increased tolerance against abiotic stresses such as drought tolerance, salinity tolerance, flooding / water tolerance and heat and cold, temperature tolerance. These traits may be fixed through chromosome doubling (generating allopolyploids) and further crossed with other allopolyploids to generate F; hybrids. Additionally, as tire roots supply vital nutrients to the plant, these F1 allopolyploid hybrids may be used as rootstocks improve plant performance and. yield of cultivated varieties.SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

[0004] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method for producing a composite eggplant with tolerance against at least one abiotic or biotic stress, including: (i) selecting a first eggplant variety which is stress-tolerant against at least one abiotic or biotic stress: (ii) crossing said first eggplant variety with a second eggplant variety of a differentspecies sexually compatible with the first eggplant variety to produce an interspecific hybrid seed; (iii) growing the interspecific hybrid seed to produce an interspecific hybrid eggplant; (iv) applying a chromosome doubling treatment to the interspecific hybrid plant, or a part thereof, to generate a chimeric interspecific hybrid eggplant; (v) collecting seed from an allotetraploid fruit of said chimeric interspecific hybrid plant; (vi) growing the seed to produce an allotetraploid eggplant rootstock plant with tolerance against at least one abiotic or biotic stress and, optionally, further propagating said plant; and (vii) grafting a scion of a cultivated eggplant variety to the allotetraploid eggplant rootstock to produce a composite eggplant with tolerance against at least one abiotic or biotic stress.

[0005] In some aspects, tire techniques described herein relate to a method for producing a composite eggplant with tolerance against at least one abiotic or biotic stress, including: (i) selecting a first eggplant variety which is stress-tolerant against at least one abiotic or biotic stress; (ii) fusing a protoplast isolated from said first eggplant variety with another protoplast isolated from a eggplant variety sexually incompatible with the first eggplant variety; (iii) selecting a heterokaryon; (iv) regenerating an allotetraploid eggplant rootstock plant with tolerance against at least one abiotic or biotic stress from the heterokaryon; and, optionally, further propagating said plant; and (v) grafting a scion of a cultivated eggplant variety to the allotetraploid eggplant rootstock to produce a composite eggplant with tolerance against at least one abiotic or biotic stress.

[0006] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method for producing a stress-tolerant hybrid allopolyploid eggplant or seed, including: (i) selecting a first eggplant variety which is stress-tolerant against at least one abiotic or biotic stress; (ii) crossing said first eggplant variety with a second eggplant variety of a different species sexually compatible with the first eggplant variety to produce an interspecific hybrid seed; (iii) growing the interspecific hybrid seed to produce an interspecific hybrid eggplant; (iv) applying a chromosome doubling treatment to the interspecific hybrid plant, or a part thereof, to generate a chimeric interspecific hybrid eggplant; (v) collecting seed from an allotetraploid fruit of said chimeric interspecific hybrid plant; (vi) growing the seed to produce a first allotetraploid eggplant with tolerance against at least one abiotic or biotic stress and, optionally, further propagating said plant; (vii) crossing the first allotetraploid eggplant with a second allotetraploid eggplant to produce hybrid allopolyploid seed; (viii) harvesting the hybrid allopolyploid seed; and (ix) optionally growing the hybrid allopolyploid seed to produce a stress-tolerant hybrid allopolyploid eggplant.

[0007] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method for producing a stress-tolerant hybrid allopolyploid eggplant, including: (i) selecting a first eggplant varietywhich is stress-tolerant against at least one abiotic or biotic stress; (ii) fusing a protoplast isolated from said first eggplant variety with another protoplast isolated from a second eggplant variety sexually incompatible with the first eggplant variety to produce a heterokaryon; (iii) regenerating a first allotetraploid eggplant from the heterokaryon; (iv) fusing a protoplast isolated from the first allotetraploid eggplant with another protoplast isolated from a second allotetraploid eggplant to a produce hybrid allopolyploid heterokaryon; and (v) regenerating a hybrid allopolyploid eggplant from the hybrid allopolyploid heterokaiyon to produce a stress- tolerant hybrid allopolyploid eggplant.| 0008 | In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a hybrid allopolyploid eggplant or plant part with tolerance against at least one abiotic or biotic stress, including: (i) at least one chromosome from each of a first and a second eggplant variety', wherein the second eggplant variety exhibits at least one tolerance against at least one abiotic or biotic stress which is not present in said first eggplant variety; and (ii) at least one chromosome for a cultivated eggplant variety of a species different from said first and second eggplant varieties.

[0009] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a composite eggplant with tolerance against at least one abiotic or biotic stress, said composite eggplant including: (i) as a rootstock an allotetraploid eggplant, and (ii) as a scion a cultivated eggplant variety.

[0010] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method for producing a composite eggplant with an improved agronomic trait, including: selecting first and second eggplants having one or more desirable traits; generating an interspecific hybrid plant from said first and second eggplants; applying a chromosome doubling treatment to the interspecific hybrid plant, or a part thereof, to generate a chimeric interspecific hybrid eggplant; collecting seed from an allotetraploid fruit of said chimeric interspecific hybrid plant; growing the seed to produce an allotetraploid eggplant rootstock plant with one or more desirable traits and, optionally, further propagating said plant, and grafting a scion to the allotetraploid eggplant rootstock to produce a composite eggplant, wherein the scion is a commercial eggplant variety, and wherein a fruit or vegetable harvested from the scion has an improved agronomic trait compared to the same variety- grown without the allotetraploid eggplant rootstock.

[0011] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method for producing a composite pepper plant with tolerance against at least one abiotic or biotic stress, including: (i) selecting a first pepper variety which is stress-tolerant against at least one abiotic or biotic stress; (ii) crossing said first pepper variety’ with a second pepper variety- of a different species sexually compatible with the first pepper variety to produce an interspecific hybrid seed; (iii) growing the interspecific hybrid seed to produce an interspecific hybrid pepper; (iv) applyinga chromosome doubling treatment to the interspecific hybrid plant, or a part thereof, to generate a chimeric interspecific hybrid pepper; (v) coilecting seed from an allotetraploid fruit of said chimeric interspecific hybrid plant; (vi) growing the seed to produce an allotetraploid pepper rootstock plant with tolerance against at least one abiotic or biotic stress and, optionally, further propagating said plant; and (vii) grafting a scion of a cultivated pepper variety to the allotetraploid pepper rootstock to produce a composite pepper plant with tolerance against at least one abiotic or biotic stress.

[0012] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method for producing a composite pepper plant with tolerance against at least one abiotic or biotic stress, including: (i) selecting a first pepper variety which is stress-tolerant against at least one abiotic or biotic stress; (ii) fusing a protoplast isolated from said first pepper variety with another protoplast isolated from a pepper variety sexually incompatible with the first pepper variety; (iii) selecting a heterokaryon; (iv) regenerating an allotetraploid pepper rootstock plant with tolerance against at least one abiotic or biotic stress from the heterokaryon; and, optionally, further propagating said plant; and (v) grafting a scion of a cultivated pepper variety to the allotetraploid pepper rootstock to produce a composite pepper plant with tolerance against at least one abiotic or biotic stress.

[0013] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method for producing a stress-tolerant hybrid allopolyploid pepper plant or seed, including: (i) selecting a first pepper variety which is stress-tolerant against at least one abiotic or biotic stress; (ii) crossing said first pepper variety with a second pepper variety of a different species sexually compatible with the first pepper variety to produce an interspecific hybrid seed; (iii) growing the interspecific hybrid seed to produce an interspecific hybrid pepper; (iv) applying a chromosome doubling treatment to the interspecific hybrid plant, or a part thereof, to generate a chimeric interspecific hybrid pepper; (v) collecting seed from an allotetraploid fruit of said chimeric interspecific hybrid plant; (vi) growing the seed to produce a first allotetraploid pepper with tolerance against at least one abiotic or biotic stress and, optionally, further propagating said plant; (vii) crossing the first allotetraploid pepper with a second allotetraploid pepper to produce hybrid allopolyploid seed; (viii) harvesting the hybrid allopolyploid seed; and (ix) optionally growing the hybrid allopolyploid seed to produce a stress-tolerant hybrid allopolyploid pepper plant.

[0014] In some aspects, tire techniques described herein relate to a method for producing a stress-tolerant hybrid allopolyploid pepper plant, including: (i) selecting a first pepper variety w'hich is stress-tolerant against at least one abiotic or biotic stress; (ii) fusing a protoplast isolated from said first pepper variety with another protoplast isolated from a second peppervariety sexually incompatible with the first pepper variety to produce a heterokaryon; (iii) regenerating a first allotetraploid pepper from the heterokaryon; (iv) fusing a protoplast isolated from the first allotetraploid pepper with another protoplast isolated from a second allotetraploid pepper to a produce hybrid allopolyploid heterokaryon; and (v) regenerating a hybrid allopolyploid pepper plant from the hybrid allopolyploid heterokaryon to produce a stress- tolerant hybrid allopolyploid pepper plant.

[0015] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a hybrid allopolyploid pepper plant or plant part with tolerance against at least one abiotic or biotic stress, including: (i) at least one chromosome from each of a first and a second pepper variety, wherein the second pepper variety exhibits at least one tolerance against at least one abiotic or biotic stress which is not present in said first pepper variety; and (ii) at least one chromosome for a cultivated pepper variety of a species different from said first and second pepper varieties.

[0016] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a composite pepper plant with tolerance against at least one abiotic or biotic stress, said composite pepper plant including: (i) as a rootstock an allotetraploid pepper, and (ii) as a scion a cultivated pepper variety.

[0017] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method for producing a composite pepper plant with an improved agronomic, trait, including: selecting first and second peppers having one or more desirable traits; generating an interspecific hybrid plant from said first and second peppers; applying a chromosome doubling treatment to the interspecific hybrid plant, or a part thereof, to generate a chimeric interspecific hybrid pepper; collecting seed from an allotetraploid fruit of said chimeric interspecific hybrid plant; growing the seed to produce an allotetraploid pepper rootstock plant with one or more desirable traits and, optionally, further propagating said plant, and grafting a scion to the allotetraploid pepper rootstock to produce a composite pepper plant, wherein the scion is a commercial pepper variety, and wherein a fruit or vegetable harvested from the scion has an improved agronomic trait compared to the same variety grown without the allotetraploid pepper rootstock.

[0018] The foregoing was intended as a summary only and of only some of the aspects of the disclosure. It was not intended to define the limits or requirements of the disclosure. Other aspects of the disclosure will be appreciated by reference to the detailed description of the embodiments.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] FIG. 1 is a flow diagram showing the steps of generating an allotetraploid plant.

[0020] FIG. 2 is a flow diagram showing the steps of generating an allotetraploid hybrid and using the resulting Fi as rootstock for a cultivated variety.

[0021] FIG. 3 shows overall plant morphology from side and top views (right) of ‘Vitalpaprika’ and ‘MP 25-01 ’, as well as flowers (top right) and leaves (bottom right).

[0022] FIG. 4 shows a side-by-side comparison of a Triora-Freedom Fl composite plant (left) with a Triora-MP 23-04 composite plant (right).

[0023] FIG. 5 shows comparative morphology of diploid hybrid 5. melongena x S. aethiopicum and the resulting allotetraploid ‘ME 23-15’.

[0024] FIG. 6 shows comparative morphology of diploid hybrid S. melongena x S. torvum and the resulting allotetraploid ‘ME 23-16’.

[0025] FIG. 7 is a bar graph of the total mass of fruits per plant (g) harvested over the course of two months for ‘de Barbentane’ scion grafted to allotetraploid rootstocks ‘ME 23-15’ and ‘ME 23-16’ vs. commercial rootstocks ‘Beo’ and ‘Javah’, grown m Herault, France.

[0026] FIG. 8A is a bar graph of the average fruit size (g / fruit) for ‘de Barbentane’ scion grafted to allotetraploid rootstocks ‘ME 23-15’ and ‘ME 23-16’ vs. commercial rootstocks ‘Beo’ and ‘Javah’, grown in Herault, France.

[0027] FIG. 8B is a bar graph of the total number of fruits harvested per plant over the course of two months for ‘de Barbentane’ scion grafted to allotetraploid rootstocks ‘ME 23-15 ’ and ‘ME 23-16’ vs. commercial rootstocks ‘Beo’ and ‘Javah’, grown in Herault, France.

[0028] FIG. 9 is a bar graph of the total harvest (g), fruit count, and average fruit size (g / fruit) for ‘de Barbentane’ scion grafted to allotetraploid rootstocks ‘MFI 23-15’ and ‘ME 23-16’ vs. commercial rootstocks ‘Beo’ and ‘Javah’ grown under heat stress at the Plant Growth Core Labs' agricultural research field site at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia.

[0029] FIG. 10 is a photograph of the roots of diploid rootstocks ‘Beo’ and ‘Javah’ compared to the roots of allotetraploid rootstocks ‘ME 23-15 ’ and ‘ME 23-16’.

[0030] FIG. 11 shows the roots of ‘ME 23-16’ plant number 1 (measured in Tables 8-10).DETAILED DESCRIPTIONDefinitions

[0031] While the following terms are believed to be well understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, the following definitions are set forth to facilitate explanation of the presently disclosed subject matter.

[0032] Following long-standing patent law convention, the terms “a,” “an,” and “the” refer to ‘‘one or more” when used in this application, including the claims. For example, the phrase “a cell” refers to one or more cells, and in some embodiments can refer to a tissue and / or an organ. Similarly, the phrase “at least one”, when employed herein to refer to an entity, refers to, for example, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 75, 100, or more of that entity, including but not limited to all whole number values between 1 and 100 as well as whole numbers greater than 100,

[0033] Unless otherwise indicated, all numbers expressing quantities of ingredients, reaction conditions, and so forth used in the specification and claims are to be understood as being modified in all instances by the term “about.” The term “about” when immediately preceding a numerical value means a range (e.g., plus or minus 10% of that value). For example, “about 50” can mean 45 to 55, “about 25,000” can mean 22,500 to 27,500, etc., unless such an interpretation would result in a value above or below range of possible values, such as below 0% or above 100% of a possible value. Furthermore, the phrases “less than about” a value or “greater than about” a value should be understood in view of the definition of the term “about” provided herein, as applied to any recited endpoint. Similarly, the term “about” when preceding a series of numerical values or a range of values (e.g., “about 10, 20, 30” or “about 10-30”) refers, respectively to all values in the series, or the endpoints of the range. Unless otherwise indicated, it is to be understood that all numbers expressing quantities, ratios, and numerical properties of ingredients, reaction conditions, and so forth, used in the specification and claims are contemplated to be able to be modified in all instances by the term “about”.

[0034] The term “approximately” when immediately preceding a numerical value means a range (e.g., plus or minus 5% of that value). For example, “approximately 50” can mean 47.5 to 52.5, “approximately 25,000” can mean 23,750 to 26,250, etc., unless such an interpretation would result in a value above or below range of possible values, such as below 0% or above 100% of a possible value. Furthermore, the phrases “less than approximately” a value or “greater than approximately” a value should be understood in view of the definition of the term “approximately” provided herein, as applied to any recited endpoint. Similarly, the term “approximately” when preceding a series of numerical values or a range of values (e.g., “approximately 10, 20, 30” or “approximately 10-30”) refers, respectively to all values in the series, or the endpoints of the range. Unless otherwise indicated, it is to be understood that all numbers expressing quantities, ratios, and numerical properties of ingredients, reaction conditions, and so forth, used in the specification and claims are contemplated to be able to be modified in all instances by the term “approximately.”

[0035] The term “including all ranges and subranges therebetween” or equivalents, are used herein to denote the intention that disclosure of any range or series of possible values, inherently also discloses all ranges and subranges encompassed by the highest and lowest values disclosed. This term includes the entire range from highest to lowest disclosed values, as well as subranges from any two or more disclosed points. This term is also intended to disclose any subranges encompassed anywhere within the highest and lowest disclosed values, including between two points that are explicitly recited in the document, up to one decimal point. Thus, disclosure of values 0, 5, 10, 15, 20, including all ranges and subranges therebetween, should be interpreted as also encompassing a range from 0-20, a range from 0-5 or 5-15, as well as a range from 2-16, or 3.1 to 19.8, etc. Unless otherwise indicated, it is to be understood that all numbers expressing quantities, ratios, and numerical properties of ingredients, reaction conditions, and so forth, used in the specification are contemplated to be able to be modified in all instances by the term “including all ranges and subranges therebetween”.

[0036] As used herein, the tenn “and / or” when used in the context of a list of entities, refers to the entities being present singly or in combination. Thus, for example, the phrase “A, B, C, and / or D” includes A, B, C, and D individually, but also includes any and all combinations and subcombinations of A, B, C, and D (e.g., AB, AC, AD, BC, BD, CD, ABC, ABD, and BCD). In some embodiments, one or more of the elements to which the “and / or” refers can also individually be present m single or multiple occurrences in the combinations(s) and / or subcombination(s) .

[0037] The term “allopolyploidy” refers to a cell or plant having two or more complete sets of chromosomes derived from different species.

[0038] The term “allotetraploid” refers to a hybrid cell or plant derived from different species and possessing four times the chromosomes in a haploid organism. For example, an interspecific hybridization followed by chromosome doubling would generate an allotetraploid. In some cases, an allotetraploid may exhibit a certain degree of aneuploidy and crossover events.

[0039] As used herein, the term “aneuploid” refers to a cell or plant having an incomplete set of chromosomes. An aneuploid may have for example, missing or extra chromosome(s).

[0040] As used herein, an “anti-mitotic” or “anti-mitotic agent” refers to a compound or chemical that is used to block cell growth by stopping mitosis (cell division) used m plant breeding to induce chromosome doubling. Examples of anti -mitotic agents include, but are not limited to, colchicine, trifluralin, oryzalin, and amiprophos-methyl (APM).

[0041] As used herein, the term “at least a portion” or “fragment” of a nucleic acid or polypeptide means a portion having the minimal size characteristics of such sequences, or any larger fragment of the full-length molecule, up to and including the full-length molecule.

[0042] A “chimera,” “chimeric tissue” or “chimeric plant” is a plant or tissue that consists of two or more genetically distinct groups of cells.

[0043] As used herein, the term “cisgenesis” refers to genetic modification of a recipient organism with one or more genes (cisgenes) from a crossable, sexually compatible, organism.

[0044] As used herein, a “composite” or “composite plant” refers to a plant comprising two distinct varieties that have been grafted together (rootstock + scion) to form one plant.

[0045] “Colchicine” is a pale-yellow alkaloid, C22H25NO6, obtained from the autumn crocus and used in plant breeding to induce chromosome doubling.

[0046] As used herein, the term "enhanced abiotic stress tolerance" refers to the ability of a plant or plant part to grow, reproduce and / or survive under abiotic stress conditions, as compared to one or more controls (a plant which is not stress tolerant). "Enhanced abiotic stress tolerance" may refer to any improvement in a plant’s or plant, part’s ability to thrive and / or endure when grown under abiotic stress conditions, or may refer to a plant’s ability to maintain growth and yield under abiotic stress conditions, including, but not limited to, decreased water loss, decreased accumulation of one or more reactive oxygen species, decreased accumulation of one or more salts, increased salt excretion, increased accumulation of one or more dehydrins, improved root architecture, improved osmotic pressure regulation, increased accumulation of one or more late embryogenesis abundant proteins, increased survival rate, increased growth rate, increased height, increased chlorophyll content, improvement of fruit quality, and / or increased yield (e.g, increased biomass, increased seed yield, increased grain yield at standard moisture percentage, increases shoot length, decreased electrolyte leakage, increased grain weight per plot, increased percent yield recovery, decreased yield reduction, and / or decreased percent, barren) when grown under abiotic stress conditions. A plant or plant part that exhibits enhanced abiotic stress tolerance may be designated as "abiotic stress tolerant."

[0047] As used herein, the term "enhanced drought tolerance" refers to an improvement in one or more water optimization traits as compared to one or more controls (a plant which is not stress tolerant). A plant or plant part that exhibits decreased water loss, decreased accumulation of one or more reactive oxygen species, decreased accumulation of one or more salts, increased salt excretion, increased accumulation of one or more dehydrins, improved root architecture, improved osmotic pressure regulation, increased accumulation of one or more late embryogenesis abundant proteins, increased survival rate, increased growth rate, increasedheight, increased chlorophyll content and / or increased yield as described above, as compared to a control plant when each is grown under the same drought stress conditions displays enhanced drought tolerance and may be designated as "drought tolerant." In some embodiments, the plant or plant part exhibits an increased survival rate after being subjected to drought stress conditions (e.g., an irrigation withholding experiment).

[0048] As used herein, the term "enhanced osmotic stress tolerance" refers to an improvement in one or more osmotic pressure optimization traits as compared to one or more controls (a plant which is not stress tolerant). A plant or plant part that exhibits decreased water loss, decreased accumulation of one or more reactive oxygen species, decreased accumulation of one or more salts, increased salt excretion, increased accumulation of one or more dehydrins, improved root architecture, improved osmotic pressure regulation, increased accumulation of one or more late embryogenesis abundant proteins, increased survival rate, increased growth rate, increased height, increased chlorophyll content and / or increased yield as described above, when each is grown under the same osmotic stress conditions displays enhanced osmotic stress tolerance and may be designated as "osmotic stress tolerant," In some embodiments, the plant or plant part exhibits an increased survival rate after being subjected to mannitol -induced osmotic stress conditions (e.g., incubation in a 200 mM mannitol solution).

[0049] As used herein, the term "enhanced salt stress tolerance" refers to an improvement in one or more salt optimization traits as compared to one or more controls (a plant which is not stress tolerant). A plant or plant part that exhibits decreased water loss, decreased accumulation of one or more reactive oxygen species, decreased accumulation of one or more salts, increased salt excretion, increased accumulation of one or more dehydrins, improved root architecture, improved osmotic pressure regulation, increased accumulation of one or more late embryogenesis abundant proteins, increased survival rate, increased growth rate, increased height, increased chlorophyll content and / or increased yield as described above, as compared to a control plant when each is grown under the same salt stress condi tions displays enhanced salt stress tolerance and may be designated as "salt stress tolerant." In some instances, “enhanced salt stress tolerance” means that the reduction of total dry mass of the stress tolerant plant under salt stress conditions is not more than 75% of the total dry mass of a plant which is not a salt stress tolerant plant but which under normal condition exhibits the same dry mass as the stress tolerant plant. In some instances, “enhanced salt stress tolerance” means that the reduction of yield of the stress tolerant plant under salt stress conditions is not more than 20% of the total yield of a plant which is not a salt stress tolerant plant but which under normal condition exhibits the same dry mass as the stress tolerant plant. Salt tolerance can be evaluatedas described in Negrao et. al . Annals of botany 119.1, 1-11 (2017) and Morton et. al . The Plant Journal 97.1, 148-163 (2019).

[0050] As used herein, the term "enhanced temperature stress tolerance" refers to an improvement in one or more temperature tolerance traits as compared to one or more controls (a plant which is not stress tolerant). A plant or plant part that exhibits decreased water loss, decreased accumulation of one or more reactive oxygen species, decreased accumulation of one or more salts, increased salt excretion, increased accumulation of one or more dehydrins, improved root architecture, improved osmotic pressure regulation, increased accumulation of one or more late embryogenesis abundant proteins, increased survival rate, increased growth rate, increased height, increased biomass, increased chlorophyll content, increased grain yield as described above, as compared to a control plant when each is grown under the same temperature stress conditions displays enhanced temperature stress tolerance and may be designated as "temperature stress tolerant."

[0051] It is to be understood that "drought tolerant," "osmotic stress tolerant," "salt stress tolerant," and "temperature stress tolerant" plants and plant parts may also be referred to as "abiotic stress tolerant" because drought stress, osmotic stress, salt stress and temperature stress are all abiotic stresses.

[0052] As used herein, the term "enhanced biotic stress tolerance" refers to an improvement in die ability of a plant or plant part to grow, reproduce and / or survive under biotic stress conditions, as compared to one or more controls (a plant which is not stress tolerant). "Enhanced biotic stress tolerance" may refer to any improvement in a plant’s or plant part’s ability to thrive and / or endure when grown under biotic stress conditions, including, but not limited to, decreased plant vigor reduction, increased cell lignification, improved root architecture, improved osmotic pressure regulation, increased accumulation of one or more late embryogenesis abundant proteins, increased survival rate, increased growth rate, increased height, increased chlorophyll content and / or increased yield (e.g., increased biomass, increased seed yield, increased gram yield at standard moisture percentage, increases shoot length, decreased electrolyte leakage, increased grain weight per plot, increased percent yield recovery, decreased yield reduction, and / or decreased percent barren) when grown under biotic stress conditions. A plant or plant part that exhibits enhanced biotic stress tolerance may be designated as "biotic stress tolerant."

[0053] “Grafting” is the operation by which a scion is grafted onto a rootstock. Grafting a susceptible scion onto a resistant rootstock can provide a resistant cultivar without the need to breed the resistance into the scion cultivar. In addition, grafting may enhance tolerance of asusceptible scion to abiotic stress, increase yield, and result in more efficient water and nutrient uses.

[0054] A s used herein, an “intergeneric cross” refers to the hybridization of two individuals, each from different genera of the same family. “Intergeneric hybrid’’ means a plant, cell, or plant part derived from an intergeneric cross.

[0055] As used herein, an “interspecific cross” refers to the hybridization of two individuals, each from different species of the same genus. “Interspecific hybrid” means a plant, cell, or plant part derived from an interspecific cross.

[0056] The term “engineered” or “genetically engineered” refers to any human-made manipulation of a genome of a cell of interest.

[0057] As used herein, the term “naturally occurring” refers to a gene or plant derived from a naturally occurring source or method. In some aspects, a naturally occurring gene refers to a gene of a wild type (non-transgene) gene, whether located in its endogenous setting within the source organism, or if placed in a “heterologous” setting, when introduced in a different organism. A “non-natu rally occurring” plant is a human-made plant created by either manipulating the chromosome number (e.g. an allotetraploid) and / or grafting two distinct species together to form one composite plant.

[0058] A “rootstock” is a plant in which the lower part of a plant (including the roots) is capable of receiving a scion in a grafting process.

[0059] RHS refers to the Royal Horticultural Society of England which publishes an official botanical color chart quantitatively identifying colors according to a defined numbering system. The chart may be purchased from Royal Hort. Society Enterprise Ltd. RHS Garden; Wisley, Woking, Surrey GU236QB, UK.

[0060] “Salt stress” is the accumulation of excessive salt contents in the soil or other growing medium which can result in the inhibition of crop growth.

[0061] A “scion” is a plant in which the upper part of the plant is capable of being grafted onto a rootstock m a grafting process.

[0062] “Sequence identity" or "identity" in the context of two nucleic acid or polypeptide sequences includes reference to the number of residues in the two sequences which are the same when aligned for maximum correspondence over a specified comparison window. When percentage of sequence identity is used in reference to proteins it is recognized that residue positions which are not identical often differ by conservative ammo acid substitutions, where ammo acid residues are substituted for other ammo acid residues with similar chemical properties (e.g., charge or hydrophobicity) and therefore do not change the functionalproperties of the molecule. Where sequences differ in conservative substitutions, the percent sequence identity may be adj usted upwards to correct for the conservative nature of the substitution. Sequences which differ by such conservative substitutions are said to have "sequence similarity" or "similarity." Means for making this adjustment are well-known to those of skill in the art, e.g., according to the algorithm of Meyers and Miller, Computer Applic. Biol. Sci., 4: 11-17 (1988). The comparison of sequences and determination of percent identity between two sequences can be accomplished using a mathematical algorithm, for example, NCBI Basic Local Alignment Search Tool (BLAST®) (Altschul et al. 1990 J. Mol. Biol. 215: 403-10), which is available from several sources, including the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI, Bethesda, Md.) and on the Internet, for use in connection with the sequence analysis programs blastp, blastn, blasts, tblastn and tblastx, and the Clustal W and Clustal X (Larkin et al. 2007 Bioinformatics, 23, 2947-294, Clustal W and Clustal X version 2.0) as well as Clustal Omega. Unless otherwise stated, references to sequence identity- used herein refer to the Clustal Omega,

[0063] A plant cell is a cell of a plant, taken from a plant, or derived through culture from a cell taken from a plant. Thus, the term "‘plant cell” includes for example, cells within seeds, suspension cultures, embryos, meristematic regions, callus tissue, leaves, shoots, gametophytes, sporophytes, pollen, and microspores.

[0064] The phrase “plant part” refers to a part of a plant, including single cells and cell tissues such as plant cells that are intact in plants, cell clumps, and tissue cultures from which plants can be regenerated. Plant part also refers to those cells and tissues that cannot be used to regenerate a plant, but were nonetheless derived from a plant. Examples of plant parts include, but are not limited to, single cells, plant tissues, pollen, ovules, leaves, embryos, roots, root tips, anthers, flowers, fruits, stems, shoots, and seeds, as well as scions, rootstocks, protoplasts, call), and the like.

[0065] As used herein, the term “plant” or “whole plant” refers to a plant at any stage of growth having both arial and root biomass.

[0066] The term “plant variety” is used herein as a group of plants that share a set of characteristics. The 1991 UPOV Convention’s Article 1 (vi) states that a plant variety is a grouping wi thin a botanical taxon of the lowest known rank. The grouping can be defined by the characteristics that result from a specific genotype or combination of genotypes. This includes synthetic varieties and hybrids.

[0067] As used herein, the term “resistant”, or “resistance”, describes a plant, line or variety that shows fewer or reduced symptoms than a susceptible (or more susceptible) plant, line orvariety. This term is also applied to plants that show no symptoms, and may also be referred to as “high / standard resistance”.

[0068] As used herein, the term “tolerant” or “tolerance” describes a plant, line, or variety that shows some symptoms, but that are still able to produce marketable product with an acceptable yield. These lines may also be referred to as having “moderate / intermediate resistance”.

[0069] As defined by the International Seed Federation (ISF), a non-governmental, non-profit organization representing the seed industry-’ (see “Definition of the Terms Describing the Reaction of Plants to Pests or Pathogens and to Abiotic Stresses for the Vegetable Seed Industry”, May 2005), the recognition of whether a plant is affected by or subject to a pest, pathogen or abiotic stress can depend on the analytical method employed. Resistance is defined by’ the ISF as the ability of plant types to restrict the growth and development of a specified pest or pathogen and / or the damage they cause when compared to susceptible plant varieties under similar environmental conditions and pest or pathogen pressure. Resistant plant types may still exhibit some disease symptoms or damage. Two levels of resistance are defined. The term “high / standard resistance” is used for plant varieties that highly restrict the growth and development of the specified pest or pathogen under normal pest or pathogen pressure when compared to susceptible varieties. “Moderate / intermediate resistance” is applied to plant types that restrict the growth and development of the specified pest or pathogen, but exhibit a greater range of symptoms or damage compared to plant types with high resistance. Plant types with intermediate resistance will show' less severe symptoms than susceptible plant varieties, when grown under similar field conditions and pathogen pressure. Methods of evaluating resistance are well known to one skilled in the art. Such evaluation may be performed by visual observation of a plant or a plant part (e.g., leaves, roots, flowers, fruits et. al) in determining the severity of symptoms. For example, when each plant is given a resistance score on a scale of 1 to 5 based on the seventy of the reaction or symptoms, with 1 being the resistance score applied to the most resistant plants (e.g., no symptoms, or with the least symptoms), and 5 the score applied to the plants with the most severe symptoms, then a line is rated as being resistant when at least 75% of the plants have a resistance score at a 1, 2, or 3 level, while susceptible lines are those having more than 25% of the plants scoring at a. 4 or 5 level. If a more detailed visual evaluation is possible, then one can use a scale from 1 to 10 so as to broaden out the range of scores and thereby hopefully' pro vide a greater scoring spread among the plants being evaluated.

[0070] In addition to such visual evaluations, disease evaluations can be performed by determining the pathogen bio-density in a plant or plant part using electron microscopy and / orthrough molecular biological methods, such as protein hybridization (e.g., ELISA, measuring pathogen protein density) and / or nucleic acid hybridization (e.g., RT-PCR, measuring pathogen RN A density). Depending on the particular pathogen / plant combination, a plant maybe determmed resistant to the pathogen, for example, if it has a pathogen RNA / DNA and / or protein density that is about 50%, or about 40%, or about 30%, or about 20%, or about 10%, or about 5%, or about 2%, or about 1%, or about 0.1%, or about 0.01%, or about 0.001%, or about 0.0001 % of the RNA / DNA and / or protein density in a susceptible plant.

[0071] General methods in molecular and cellular biochemistry can be found in such standard textbooks as Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual, 3rd Ed. (Sambrook et al., HaRBor Laboratory Press 2001); Short Protocols in Molecular Biology, 4th Ed. (Ausubel et al. eds., John Wiley & Sons 1999); Protein Methods (Bollag et al ,, John Wiley & Sons 1996); Nonviral Vectors for Gene Therapy (Wagner et al. eds.. Academic Press 1999); Viral Vectors (Kaplift & Loewy eds.. Academic Press 1995); Immunology Methods Manual (I. Lefkovits ed., Academic Press 1997); Cell and Tissue Culture: Laboratory’ Procedures in Biotechnology (Doyle & Griffiths, John Wiley & Sons 1998); and Current Protocols in Molecular Biology (Ausubel et al. eds., John Wiley & Sons 2003), including supplements 1 - 117, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0072] “I -.andrace(s)” refers to cultivars developed in local geographic regions, which often show a high degree of genetic variation in their genome and exhibit a high degree of morphological and / or physiological variation within tire landrace (e.g. large variation in fruit size, etc.), and are significantly less uniform than commercialized plants. As used herein, “Landraces” are distinct from “commercial” plants.

[0073] ‘"Wild” varieties are plants found growing naturally in the wild, which generally have much poorer yields and poorer agronomic characteristics than cultivated plants and are less uniform genetically and in their physiological and / or morphological characteristics.Overview

[0074] The present disclosure relates to allotetraploid eggplants and hybrid allopolyploid eggplants having desirable traits, such as resistance to an abiotic or biotic stressor, which may be used as rootstock tor commercial varieties. Tire disclosure further relates to composi te plants comprising the allotetraploid and hybrid allopolyploid eggplants described herein as the rootstock, and commodity plant products produced from these composite plants, for example fruits and vegetables from the scion having an improved output trait (for example increased fruit size, nutrient content, shelf-life, etc.) that is attributable to the rootstock. The disclosurefurther relates to methods of producing allotetraploid eggplants and plant parts and hybrid allopolyploid eggplants and plant parts.

[0075] The present disclosure also relates to allotetraploid peppers and hybrid allopolyploid pepper plants having desirable traits, such as resistance to an abiotic or biotic stressor, which may be used as rootstock for commercial varieties. The disclosure further relates to composite plants comprising the allotetraploid and hybrid allopolyploid pepper plants described herein as the rootstock, and commodity plant products produced from these composite plants, for example fruits and vegetables from the scion having an improved output trait (for example increased fruit size, nutrient content, shelf-life, etc.) that is attributable to the rootstock. The disclosure further relates to methods of producing allotetraploid peppers and plant parts and hybrid allopolyploid pepper plants and plant parts.Plants for use with the disclosed methodsEggplant

[0076] Eggplants are members of the Solanaceae, or Nightshade family, along with tomatoes and potatoes. Common commercial eggplant varieties can be classified by their shape, size, and color. For example, the globe eggplant, also known as the American eggplant, has thick, glossy, dark purple skm and is known as an all-purpose eggplant. The Italian eggplant is similar to the American eggplant, but smaller in size and has sweeter, more tender flesh. Japanese eggplant is long and slender, having a deep purple color but thin skin. Chinese eggplant is longer than Japanese eggplant, and also lighter in color. Thai eggplants are round and colored green, purple, or white; these can be eaten raw or cooked. Indian eggplant is only about two inches in length, but has a similar color and shape as the globe eggplant. Fairy tale eggplants are small and delicate, as their name implies, and have a purple and white mottled skin. The Graffiti eggplant has distinctive white and purple stripes, which disappear when cooked. The original White eggplant is less common; it’s similar to the globe eggplant but has a milder flavor and solid white skin. The Rosa bianca eggplant is an early-season type of Italian eggplant, and has lavender and white skin.

[0077] Examples of commercial eggplant varieties (Solanum melongena). include, but are not limited to, ‘Black Beauty’, ‘Classic’, ‘Dusky’, ‘White Beauty’, ‘Thai Long Green’, ‘Japanese White Egg’, ‘Ao Daimaru’, ‘Barbarella’, ‘Behold’, ‘Black Moon’, ‘Black Shine’, ‘Dancer’, ‘Dewako One Bite’, ‘Early Midnight’, ‘Ensoro Ewia’, ‘Eclipse’, ‘Epic’, ‘E-Star’, ‘Falling Stars’, ‘Full Moon’, ‘Gboma’, ‘Green Envy'’, ‘Green Knight’, ‘Gretel’, ‘Hansel’, Japanese Pickling’, ‘Jaylo’, ‘Long Ping Tung’, ‘Masego’, ‘Meatball Hybrid’, ‘Megal’, Midnight Moon’,‘Millionaire’, ‘Mizuno Takumi’, ‘Money Maker’, ‘Nagaoka Kinchaku’, ‘Pandora Striped Rose’, ‘Patio Baby’, ‘Petch Siam’, ‘Purple Shine’, ‘Odyssey’, ‘Qi Ye Round’, ‘Rosalina’, ‘Rosita’, ‘Saitama Ao Daimaru’, ‘Santana’, ‘Satsuma Long’, ‘Senshu Kinukawa Mizu’, ‘Ping Tung Long’, ‘Casper’, ‘Listada de Gandia’, ‘Rosa Bianca’, ‘Violetta Lunga’, ‘Fengyuan Purple’, ‘Green Apple’, ‘Fairy Tale’, "Beatrice’, ‘Turkish Orange’, ‘Harris Special Hibush’, ‘Aswad’, ‘Bambino’, ‘Calliope’, ‘Prosperosa’, ‘Thai Lavender Frog Egg’, ‘Udmalbet’, ‘Italian Heirloom’, ‘Turkish Black’, ‘Mitoyo’, ‘Nagasaki Long’, ‘Round Mauve’, ‘Turkish Red’, ‘Indian Round Green’, ‘Bicolore di Rotonda’, ‘Kamo’, ‘Kurume’, ‘Little Fingers’, ‘Fengyuan Green’, ‘Galine’, ‘Orient Express’, ‘Dourga’, ‘Ichiban’, ‘Burpee Hybrid’, ‘Long Purple’, ‘Diamond’, ‘Nadia’, ‘Melanzana Rossa di Rotonda’, ‘Tsakoniki’, "Omani White’, ‘Ma- Khwaen’, ‘Mohan’, ‘Red Ruffled’, ‘Aubergine Dourga’, ‘Slim Jim’, ‘Nubia’, ‘Brinjal Long Purple’, ‘Brinjal Bloom’, ‘Imperial Black Beauty’, ‘Louisiana Long Green’, ‘Green Giant’, ‘Snowy’, ‘China Jade’, ‘Toga’, ‘Easter Egg’, ‘ Kerala Vellari', ‘Chettinad White’, ‘Big Dipper’, ‘Marina’, ‘Purple Rain’, ‘Green Giant’, ‘Emerald Isle’, ‘Sri Lankan Striped’, ‘Shoya Long’, ‘Ravaya’, ‘Surya’, ‘Ajhar’, ‘Ronde de Valence’, ‘Fengyuan Green Stick’, ‘Cylindra’, ‘Goyo Kuro’, ‘De Barbentane’, ‘Mullingar’, ‘Black Enorma’, ‘Early Long Purple’, ‘Florida Market’, ‘Rotonda Bianca Sfumata di Rosa’, "Baigan’, ‘Pingtang Long’, ‘Fengyuan White’, ‘Bellezza Nera’, ‘Naga Eggplant’, ‘Mohan’, ‘Bonica’, ‘Rani’, ‘Thai Round Purple’, ‘Pantel’, ‘Kurumkathi’, ‘Bambella’, ‘Arka Kusumaker’, ‘Nagasaki Purple’, ‘Jilo’, ‘Brazilian Oval’, ‘Karlton’, "Italian Pink Bicolor’, ‘Early Bird’, ‘Rosa di Napoli’, ‘Mawekayi’, ‘Patra’, ‘Tonda Bianca’, ‘Diamond Black’, ‘Madurai Gundu’, ‘Santo Domingo Red’, ‘Snowy Fl’, ‘Ashford’, ‘Black Knight’, ‘Rani Fl ’, ‘Akari’, ‘Raveena’, ‘Tycoon’, ‘Golden Egg’, ‘Pusa Kranti’, ‘King of the North’, ‘Shyamala’, ‘China Purple’, "Almagro’, ‘Farmer’s Long Purple’, ‘Lavendar Touch’, "Durga’, ‘Yuvika’, ‘Ratna’, ‘Krishna’, ‘Purple Delight’, ‘Thai Kermit’, ‘Thai Apple Green’, ‘Chinese String’, ‘Ravaiyya’, ‘Brazilian White Egg’, ‘Marseillais’, ‘Casperita’, ‘Verity’, ‘Etoile Violette’, ‘Purple Blossom’, ‘Amarillo’, ‘Annamalai’, ‘Shikou’, ‘Morden Midget', ‘Nanda’, ‘Beauty Lotan’, ‘Sun Gold’, ‘Aswad Baladi’, ‘Kabir 1 ’, ‘Violetta di Firenze’, ‘Stripe Zebra’, ‘Black Coral’, ‘Black Magic’, ‘Udumaipet’, ‘Golden Aubergine’, ‘Snow Princess’, ‘Shooting Stars’, ‘Ovoid Purple’, ‘Antigua’, ‘Blanche Ronde’, ‘Purpura’, ‘CIN2’, ‘DR2’, and ‘Tall / 1’.

[0078] Cultivars of eggplant can be further be grouped based on fruit size, shape, and color. For example, (1 ) oval or elongated oval-shaped and black-skinned cultivars, including ‘Harris Special Hibush’, ‘Burpee Hybrid’, ‘Brinjal Bloom’, ‘Black Magic’, ‘Classic’, ‘Dusky’, and ‘Black Beauty’; (2) slim cultivars (i) in purple-black skin, including ‘Little Fingers’, ‘Ichiban’,‘Pingtung Long’, and ‘Tycoon’, (ii) in green skin, ‘Louisiana Long Green’ and ‘Thai Long Green’, and (iii) in white skin, ‘Dourga’; (3) traditional, white-skinned, egg-shaped cultivars, including ‘Casper’, and ‘Easter Egg’; (4) bicolored cultivars with color gradient including ‘Rosa Bianca’, ‘Violetta di Firenze’, ‘Rotonda Bianca Sfumata di Rosa’ (heirloom), and ‘Prosperosa’ (heirloom); (5) bicolored cultivars with striping including ‘Listada de Gandia’ and ‘Ldumalpet’; and (6) miniature cultivars, including ‘Baigan’.

[0079] Varieties of eggplant can also be categorized based on the three main shapes: egg- shaped (S. melongena var. esculentumy long slender shaped (A. melongena var. serpentium) and dwarf type (5. melongena var. depressum) (Kalloo, 1993. In: Kalloo, G. (Ed.), Genetic Improvement of Vegetable Crops. Pergamon Press, Oxford, pp. 587-604).

[0080] In some embodiments, the first or second eggplant is selected from >$’. melongena var. agreste, S. melongena var. album, S. melongena var. divaricatum, S. melongena var. esculentum, S. melongena var. giganteum, S. melongena var. globosi, S. melongena var. inerme, S. melongena var. insanum, S. melongena var. leucoum, S. melongena var. luteum, S. melongena var. multifidum, S. melongena var. oblongo- cylindricum, S. melongena var. ovigera, S. melongena var. racemiflorum, S. melongena var. racemosum, S. melongena var. ruber, S. melongena var. rumphii, S. melongena var. sinuatorepandum, S. melongena var. stenoleucum, S. melongena var, subrepandum, S. melongena var. tongdongense, S. melongena var. variegatum, S. melongena var. violaceum, and 5. melongena var. wide.

[0081] Wild relatives of eggplant can be found on all continents except for Antarctica and grow in a wide variety of habita ts from deserts to mountain slopes, particularly throughout Mexico, Peru, and Venezuela. Common names for wild eggplant include Turkey berry, Gully-bean, Pea eggplant, Shoo-Shoo Bush, Pea aubergine, Prickly Nightshade, Cluster eggplant, and Devil’s fig.

[0082] Examples of wild relatives of eggplant include, but are not limited to, Solanum aculeastrum, Solanum aculeatissimum, Solanum aethiopicum, Solanum agnewiorum, Solanum anguivi, Solanum aureitomentosum, Solanum beaugleholei, Solanum bonariense, Solanum breviandrum, Solanum burchellii, Solanum campanulatum, Solanum campylacanthum, Solanum campechiense, Solanum capsicoides, Solanum capense, Solanum carolinense, Solanum catombelense, Solanum cerasiferum. Solarium chacoense, Solanum chippendalei, Solanum chrysotrichum, Solanum cinereum, Solanum citrullifolium, Solanum clarkiae, Solanum cleistogamum, Solanum coccineum, Solanum coagulans, Solanum cristti-gallii, Solanum cumlngii, Solanum cyaneopurpureum, Solanum dasyphyllum, Solanum dennekense.Solanum dinteri, Solanum dioicum, Solarium dimidiatum, Solarium diversiflorum, Solarium elaeagnifolium, Solanum ferox, Solanum forskalii, Solanum furfuraceum, Solanum giganteum, Solanum gftbergen.se, Solanum glabratum, Solanum goetzii, Solanum grandifolium, Solanum hastifolium, Solanum heinianum, Solanum heterodoxum, Solanum hispidum, Solanum hindsianum, Solanum incanum, Solanum indicum, Solanum insanum, Solanum lasiocarpum, Solanum lanzae, Solanum lidii, Solanum lichtensteinii, Solarium linnaeanum, Solarium luteum, Solanum macrocarpon, Solanum mahoriensis, Solanum malacoxylon, Solanum mammosum., Solanum marginatum, Solanum megacarpum, Solanum melanospermum, Solanum melongena var. insanum, Solanum melongena var. serpentinum, Solanum melongena var. torvum, Solanum multiflorum, Solanum myoxotrichum, Solarium nigrum, Solanum nigrum var. vescum, Solanum palmeri, Solanum perfoliatum, Solanum phlomoides, Solanum platacanthum, Solanum polhillii, Solanum pubescens, Solanum pyracanthos, Solanum quitoense, Solanum rantonnetii, Solanum richardii, Solanum rigescens. Solanum rigescentoides, Solanum ngidum, Solanum rostratum, Solanum rubetorum, Solanum scabrum, Solanum schimperianum., Solanum sessilistellatum, Solanum sisymbriifolium, Solanum sodomaeum, Solanum stipulaceum, Solarium supinum, Solarium tetrandrum, Solanum toliaraea, Solanum tomentosum, Solanum torvum, Solanum tridynamum, Solanum trilobatum, Solanum tudununggae, Solanum umtuma, Solanum usambarense. Solanum vespertilio, Solanum villosum, Solarium viarum, Solanum violaceum, Solarium virginianum, Solanum xanthocarpum, Solanum zanzibarense.

[0083] In other embodiments, wild eggplant species can include, but are not limited to, Solanum aculeatissimum, Solanum aethiopicum, Solanum anguivi. Solanum aviculare, Solanum caripense, Solanum cumingli, Solanum dasyphyllum, Solanum elaeagnifolium, Solanum gilo, Solanum grandiflorum, Solanum khasiamum, Solanum hispidum, Solanum incanum, Solanum indicum, Solanum insanum, Solanum integrifolium, Solanum lasiocarpum Solanum lichtensteinii, Solanum linnaeanum, Solanum macrocarpon, Solanum mammosum, Solanum marginatum. Solanum nigrum, Solanum pennellh, Solanum periscum, Solanum pseudocapsium, Solanum quadriloculatum, Solanum. scabrum, Solanum. sisymbriifolium, Solanum sodomeum, Solanum surattense, Solanum tabacum, Solanum torvum, Solanum viarum, Solanum virginianum, Solanum warscewiczii, Solanum xanthocarpum, and Solanum zuccagnianum.

[0084] Additional examples of cultivated and wild relatives of eggplant include the following accession numbers (from the Institut National de Recherche Agronomique genebank, the COMAV germplasm collection, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture): Solanum melongena(BBS-118 / B, BBS-146, BBS-175, 07145, 8104, Ampara), Solanum aculeatissimum (PI 129362, PI 116152, PI91548), Solanum aethiopicum (PI 636107, PI 666075, PI 441839, PI 441840), Solanum. anguivi (BBS 119, BBS125 / B, PI 319855, 194789, PI 183357, PI 1 10816), Solanum aviculare (PI 420414, 01 256239, PI114179), Solanum caripense (PI 310969, 01 275108, PI 243342), Solanum dasyphyllum (MM 1153, PI 113550), Solanum elaeagni folium (MM 1627, PI 698184, PI 346963, PI 144601), Solanum grandiflorum (PI 149400, MIA 26942), Solanum incanum (MM664, PI 390211, PI 381155, PI 1 13551), Solanum insanum (SLKINS-1 , SLKINS-2, MM498), Solanum lasiocarpum, (PI 370044, PI 200852. PI 200853), Solanum lichlensteinii (MM674, MM677, Pl 645685), Solanum linnaeanum (JPT0028, MM195. PI 518699, PI 420415, PI 388846), Solanum macrocarpon (PI 645686, PI 441914, PI 91549), Solanum marginatum (PI 518696, PI 305324, PI 110610), Solanum nigrum (PI 597646, PI 597648, PI 381289), Solanum pennellii (PI 688238, Pl 503516, Pl 473422), Solanum pyracanthos (SOLN-66), Solanum scabrum (Pl 643126, Grif 14198), Solanum sisymbriifolium (SOLN-78, 1 180, PI 682671, PI 424861 , PI381291), Solanum tomentosum (MM992), Solanum torvum (SLKTOR-2, 55953, PI 194790, PI 1 17710, PI 24651), Solanum viarum (PI 420413, PI 337503, PI 285422), Solanum violaceum (SLKVIL-1), and Solanum virgrnianum (PI 390213, Pl 381293, 08 115026). These accessions are stored in germplasm banks such as the USDA’s National Plant Germplasm System (N PGS) and other international agricultural research centers.Pepper

[0085] Capsicum cultivars belong to the five primary species of cultivated peppers within the genus Capsicum'. C. annuum, C. chinense, C. baccatum, C.frutescens, and C. pubescens . Given the vast and evolving number of cultivars and the differences in naming conventions across regions, there may be as many as 50,000 Capsicum cultivars globally. Hie USDA-ARS GRIN seed collection has about 6,200 Capsicum accessions, including 4,000 Capsicum, annuum. accessions. The other Capsicum species in the USDA germplasm repository include C. chinense, C. baccatum, C. frutescens, C. pubescens, C. cardenasii, C. chacoen.se, C.flexuosum, C. eximium, C rhomboideum, C. galapagoense , and C. tovarii.

[0086] The term “pepper” or “pepper plant” includes any plant classified as a Capsicum plant, including C. annuum, C. baccatum, C. chinense, C. fruiescens and C. pubescens. In some embodiments, the first or second pepper variety is C. annuum.. In some embodiments, tire first and / or second pepper variety produces pungent (hot) fruits. In some embodiments, the first and / or second pepper variety is a sweet pepper plant (e.g., a sweet blocky pepper plant), which typically produce immature green fruits that turn red, yellow, purple, orange, or brown atmaturity. Hie fruits can have any shape including blocky or conical. In further embodiments, the first and / or second pepper variety is a domesticated and / or cultivated variety, and produces commercially acceptable fruits m terms of si ze, shape, color, yield, and the like.

[0087] The five major cultivated Capsicum species — C. annuum, C. baccatum, C. chinense, C. frutescens, and C pubescens ------ contain several "taxonomic varieties." These species form "complexes" within the Capsicum genus, which include closely related and sexually compatible species.

[0088] The five major species with their taxonomic varieties are provided as follows: (1) Capsicum annuum including bell peppers, cayenne, friggitello, jalapenos, paprika, and serrano; and ’New Mexico Group’ Capsicum annuum (commonly called Hatch or Anaheim) including Big Jim, Chimayo, and Sandia peppers; (2) Capsicum baccatum including South American varieties such as aji amarillo, aji limon, and criolla sella. (3) Capsicum chinense (also known for the hottest peppers), including habaneros, Scotch bonnets, Trinidad Scorpions, Bhut Jolokia (Ghost Pepper), and the Carolina Reaper; (4) Capsicum frutescens including the famous Tabasco pepper and several peppers grown in India. This species is sometimes not differentiated from C. annuum:, and (5) Capsicum pubescens including the rocoto and manzano peppers, which are distinctive due to their violet flowers, black seeds, and hairy dark green leaves. In some embodiments, the first and / or second pepper variety is selected from C. annuum, C. baccatum, C. chinense, C. frutescens, and C. pubescens. In some embodiments, the scion is an inbred or hybrid variety comprising C. annuum, C. baccatum, C. chinense, C. frutescens, or C. pubescens.

[0089] The fruit forms of Capsicum annuum vary widely, ranging from large to small, sweet to sour, and from very hot or pungent to mild or bland. Though it is a single species, C. annuum encompasses many different forms with a variety of names. Varieties that do not produce heat are referred to as sweet peppers, and those with a blocky shape are called bell peppers. Varieties that produce capsaicin are known as hot peppers or chili peppers. Examples of globally grown Capsicum annuum peppers includes, but are not limited to, Aleppo, Anaheim, Baklouti, Banana, Black Heart, Black Hungarian, Cascabel, Cayenne, Cherry', Cheongyang, Chilaca, Chiltepin, Chimayo, Cubanelle, Dangjo, De Arbol, Facing Heaven, Fish, Fresno, Friggitelli, Guntur chilli, Hungarian Wax, Italian Sweet, Jalapeno, Jwala chili (finger hot pepper), Korean chili, Medusa, Mirasol, NuMex peppers, Peperoncino, Peperone crusco, Pequin, Piment d'Espelette, Padron, Poblano, Prik Kee Nu, Puya, Santa Fe Grande, Serrano, Shishito, and Siling Mahaba.

[0090] Examples of commercial sweet bell peppers (Capsicum annuum) include, but are not limited to, ‘Aladdin’, ‘Admiral’, ‘Alliance’, ‘Aristotle’, ‘Bell Boy’, ‘Bianca Bell’, "Big Bertha’, ‘Brigadier’, ‘California Wonder’, ‘Camelot’, ‘Carmen’, ‘Chocolate Beauty’, ‘Commandant’, ‘Como di Toro’ (Bull’s Hom), ‘Crusader’, ‘Cubanelle’, ‘Emerald Giant’, ‘Excursion II’, ‘Golden California Wonder’, ‘Gypsy’, ‘Heritage’, ‘Intruder’, ‘Jupiter’, ‘Karma', ’Keystone Resistant Giant’, ‘King Arthur’, ‘Lady Beil’, ‘Olympus’, ‘Orange Blaze’, ‘Ozark Giant’, ‘Paladin’, ‘Patriot’, ‘Plato,’ ‘Purple Beauty’, ‘Red Knight’, ‘Revolution’, ‘Sentry’, ‘Socrates’, ‘Stiletto’, ‘Summer Sweet’, ‘Sweet Banana’, ‘Tequila’, ‘Vanguard’, ‘Turnpike’, ‘Wizard’, and ‘Yellow Belle’. Examples of commercial hot peppers include, but are not limited to, Anaheim (‘Joe E. Parker’), ‘Carolina Reaper, Cayenne, Ghost Pepper (‘Bhut Jolokia’), Habanero (Red Habanero, Orange Habanero), Jalapeno (‘Early Japlapeno’, ‘Jalafuego’), Poblano, Scotch Bonnet, and Serrano.

[0091] Capsicum baccatum has a distinctive, fruity flavor, and are commonly ground into colorful powders for use in cooking, each identified by its color. Examples of Capsicum baccatum peppers include, but are not limited to, Aji Amarillo, Aji Colorado, Aji Fantasy, Aji Limon, Aji Mango, Aji Pineapple, Aji Rojo, Bishop's Crown, Criolla Sella, and Piquante pepper.

[0092] Capsicum chinense also has a distinctive, fruity flavor. Examples of Capsicum, chinense peppers include, but are not limited to, Adjuma, Aji Dulce, Bhut Jolokia, Carolina Reaper, Datil, Chocolate Habanero, Fatalii, Habanero, Haman Yellow Lantern, Infinity chili, Madame Jeanette, Naga Morich, Naga Viper, NuMex peppers, Pepper X, Red Savina, Scotch Bonnet, Trinidad Moruga Scorpion, and Trinidad Scorpion Butch T.

[0093] Examples of Capsicum frutescens peppers include, but are not limited to, Greenleaf, Kambuzi, Kona, Labuyo, Malagueta, Peri-peri, Siling Labuyo, Tabasco, Thai Hot, Win Win, and Xiao mi la pepper,

[0094] Examples of Capsicum pubescens peppers include, but are not limited to, Canario, Chilli de Sede, Peron, Rocoto (its variants: Rocoto Canario, Rocoto Longo, Rocoto Rojo).

[0095] In some embodiments, the first and / or second pepper variety is a wild pepper species. In some embodiments, the first and / or second pepper variety is selected from: Capsicum annuum var. glabriusculum, Capsicum cardenasii. Capsicum chacoense, Capsicum eximium, Capsicum flexuosum, Capsicum galapagoense, Capsicum rabemi, Capsicum rhomboideum, Capsicum tovarii, Capsicum schottianum, Capsicum parvifolium Capsicum bufontm. Capsicum campylopodium. Capsicum cornutum. Capsicum dusenii, Capsicum friburgense, Capsicum hunzikerianum, Capsicum lanceolatum. Capsicum mirabile, Capsicum pereirae.Capsicum recurvatum, Capsicum rhomboideum, Capsicum schottianum, Capsicum villosum, and hybrids thereof.

[0096] Additional varieties of peppers that belong to wild species of the genus Capsicum have been collected from their natural habitats for preservation and research. In further embodiments, the first and / or second pepper variety are selected from the following: Capsicum armuum var. glabriusculum (PI 698183, PI 698446, 01 698447), Capsicum cardenasii (pi 590507, pi573336, 260425), Capsicum chacoense (PI 639653, PI 639652, PI 659106), Capsicum eximium (PI 645681, PI 596051, PI 594140), Capsicum flexuosum (PI 692244, 01 631154, Grif 15019), Capsicum galapagoense (PI 639682, PI 501531), Capsicum rabenii (PI 441655, PI 260594, PI 260595), Capsicum rhomboideum (PI 673044, PI 645680, PI 501530), and Capsicum t ovarii (PI 606708).Gen eration of allopolyploids

[0097] There are numerous steps in the development of any novel, desirable plant germplasm. Plant breeding begins with the analysis and definition of problems and weaknesses of the current germplasm, the establishment of program goals, and the definition of specific breeding objectives. The next step is selection of germplasm that possesses the traits to meet the program goals, lire goal is to combine in a single variety or hybrid an improved combination of desirable traits from the parental germplasm.

[0098] These important traits may include enhanced tolerance to abiotic and / or biotic stressors, increased fruit number, fruit size and fruit weight, higher seed yield, improved color, resistance to diseases and insects, tolerance to drought and heat, better uniformity-, higher nutritional value and better agronomic quality, growth rate, high seed germination, seedling vigor, early fruit maturity, ease of fruit setting, adaptability- for soil and climate conditions, firmness, content in soluble solids, acidity and viscosity. With mechanical harvesting of many crops, harvestability and field holding are also very- important.

[0099] Polyploidy is the presence of more than two homologous sets of chromosomes in the cell’s nucleus (Soltis et al. 2009). This phenomenon has largely influenced plant evolution and speciation (Van de Peer, 2.017). Some advantages of polyploidy arc the increase in organ size (“gigas” effect), buffering of deleterious mutations, and increased heterozygosity. (Sattler et. al., 2016). See also Zhou X. et al.. Production and characterization of an amphidiploid derived from interspecific hybridization between Solanum melongena L. and Solanum aculeatissimum Jacq. Scientia Hort. 2018, 2.30, pages 102-106; Bletsos F. et al.. Production and characterization of interspecific hybrids between three eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) cultivars and Solanum macrocarpon L. Scientia Hort. 2004, 101, pages 1 1-21; Khan M. et ah,Development of the functional male sterile line of eggplant utilizing the cytoplasm of Solanum kurzii by way of the amphidiploid. Environ. Control Biol., 2020, 58 (3), 79-83; A. Guri and K.C. Sink, Interspecific somatic hybrid plants between eggplant (Solanum melongena and Solanum torvum. Theor Appl Genet (1988) 76:490-496.

[0100] While autopolyploids (sets of chromosomes derived from the same species) are often sterile, allopolyploids (sets of chromosomes derived from different species) show restored fertility and heterosis (Comai, 2005).

[0101] Allotetraploids are hybrid cells or plants derived from different species and possessing four times the chromosome number of a haploid organism. As shown in FIG. 1 an allotetraploid may be generated by crossing (103) a first eggplant variety (for example, a cultivated variety), with a second eggplant variety (for example, a wild variety having a desired trait such as abiotic stress-tolerance).

[0102] Following the interspecific cross, polyploidization is used to fix Fi heterosis by chemically-induced chromosome doubling (105). The resulting chimeric plant (107) has both diploid and tetrapioid cells. Seeds from fruit of the chimeric plant are collected (109) and sowed. Alternatively, allotetraploids may be generated via protoplast fusion.

[0103] Resulting plants are examined for ploidy and an allotetraploid plant is selected (111), The allotetraploid plant may be used as a plant itself, or as a rootstock for a commercial variety. As shown in FIG. 2, it may be crossed with another allotetraploid to generate a hybrid allopolyploid (203 ). This hybrid allopolyploid (203 ) may be used as a plant itself, as a rootstock for commercial varieties (205), or as breeding material. The allotetraploid and / or hybrid allopolyploid may further be subjected to chromosome doubling agents to generate allooctoploids.Interspecific hybrids

[0104] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, a cultivated variety is crossed with a wild variety. In some embodiments, a cultivated variety is crossed with a landrace. In some embodiments, a landrace variety is crossed with a wild variety.

[0105] In some embodiments, the disclosure relates to allotetraploids and hybrid allopolyploids comprised of the eggplant species disclosed herein. In some embodiments, the first or second eggplant variety are selected from 5‘. melongena var. agreste, S. melongena var. album, S. melongena var. divaricatum, S. melongena var. esculentum, S. melongena var. giganteum, S. melongena var. globosi, S. melongena var. inerme, S. melongena var. insanum, S. melongena var. leucoum, S. melongena var. luteum, S. melongena var. multifidum, S. melongena var. oblongo-cylindricum, S. melongena var. ovigera, S. melongena var.racemiflorum, S. melongena var. racemosum, S. melongena var. ruber, S. melongena var. rumphii, S. melongena var. sinuatorepandum, S. melongena var. stenoleucum, S. melongena var. subrepandum, S. melongena var. tongdongense , S. melongena var. variegatum, S. melongena var. violaceum, and S. melongena var. viride.[00106| In some embodiments, the first eggplant variety is Solarium melongena or a subspecies thereof, and the second eggplant variety is selected from Solanum aculeastrum, Solanum aculeatissimum, Solanum aethiopicum, Solanum agnewiorum, Solanum anguivi, Solanum aureitomentosum, Solanum beaugleholei, Solanum bonariense , Solanum breviandrum, Solanum burchellii, Solanum campanulatum, Solanum campylacanthum, Solanum campechiense, Solanum capsicoides. Solanum capense, Solanum carolinense, Solanum catombelense, Solanum. cerasiferum, Solanum chacoense, Solanum. chippendalei, Solanum. chrysotrichum, Solanum cinereum, Solanum citrullifolium, Solanum clarkiae, Solanum cleistogamurn, Solanum coccineum. Solanum coagulans, Solanum cristti-gallii, Solanum cumingii. Solanum cyaneopurpureum, Solanum dasyphyllum, Solanum dennekense, Solanum dinteri, Solanum dioicum, Solanum dimidiatum, Solanum diversiflorum, Solanum elaeagrufolium, Solanum ferox, Solanum forskalii, Solanum furfuraceum, Solanum giganteum, Solanum giftbergense, Solanum glabratum, Solanum goetzh, Solanum grandifolium, Solanum hastifolium, Solanum heinianum, Solanum. heterodoxum, Solanum hispidum, Solanum. hindsianum, Solanum incanum, Solanum indicum, Solanum insanum, Solanum lasiocarpum, Solanum lanzae, Solanum hdii, Solanum lichtensteinii, Solarium hnnaeanum, Solarium luteum, Solanum macrocarpon, Solanum mahoriensis, Solanum malacoxylon, Solanum mammosum, Solanum marginatum, Solanum megacarpum, Solanum melanospermum, Solanum multiflorum, Solanum myoxotrichum, Solanum rugrum, Solanum nigrum var. vescum, Solanum palmen, Solanum perfoliatum, Solanum phlomoides, Solanum platacanthum, Solanum polhillii, Solanum pubescens, Solanum pyracanthos, Solanum quitoense, Solanum rantonnetii, Solanum richardii. Solanum rigescens. Solanum rigescentoides, Solanum rigidum, Solanum rostratum, Solanum rubetorum, Solanum scabrum, Solanum schimperianum, Solanum sessilistellatum, Solanum sisymbriifolium, Solanum sodomaeum., Solanum stipulaceum, Solanum supinum, Solanum teirandrum, Solanum toliaraea, Solanum tomentosum, Solanum torvum, Solanum tridynamum, Solanum trilobatum, Solanum iudununggae, Solanum umtuma, Solanum usambarense, Solanum vespertilio, Solanum villosum, Solanum viarum, Solanum violaceum. Solanum virginianum, Solanum xanthocarpum, and Solanum zanzibarense.

[0107] In some embodiments, the disclosure relates to allotetraploids and allopolyploid hybrids comprised of Solanum melongena or a subspecies thereof and Solanum aethiopicum.

[0108] In some embodiments, the disclosure relates to allotetraploids and allopolyploid hybrids comprised of Solarium melongena or a subspecies thereof and Solarium torvum.

[0109] In some embodiments, the disclosure relates to allotetraploids and allopolyploid hybrids comprised of Solanum melongena or a subspecies thereof and Solanum insanum.

[0110] In some embodiments, the disclosure relates to allotetraploids and allopolyploid hybrids comprised Q£ Solanum melongena or a subspecies thereof and Solanum dasyphyllum.

[0111] In some embodiments, the disclosure relates to allotetraploids and allopolyploid hybrids comprised of Solanum melongena or a subspecies thereof and Solanum lichtensteinii.

[0112] In some embodiments, the disclosure relates to allotetraploids and allopolyploid hybrids comprised of Solanum melongena or a subspecies thereof and Solanum linnaeanum.

[0113] In some embodiments, the disclosure relates to allotetraploids and allopolyploid hybrids comprised of Capsicum species, and methods of producing and using the same. In some embodiments, the first or second pepper variety are selected from Capsicum annuum, Capsicum chinense, Capsicum baccatum, Capsicum frutescens, and Capsicum pubescens . In some embodiments, the first or second pepper variety are selected from Capsicum cardenasii, Capsicum chacoense, Capsicum flexuosum, Capsicum eximium, Capsicum rhomboideum, Capsicum galapagoense, and Capsicum tovarii.

[0114] In some embodiments, the first pepper variety is Capsicum annuum. or hybrid thereof, and the second pepper variety is selected from Capsicum chinense. Capsicum baccatum. Capsicum frutescens, Capsicum pubescens, Capsicum cardenasii. Capsicum chacoense, Capsicum flexuosum, Capsicum eximium, Capsicum rhomboideum, Capsicum galapagoense, Capsicum tovarii and hybrids thereof.

[0115] In some embodiments, the first pepper variety is selected from a bell pepper, a cayenne pepper, a fnggitello pepper, a jalapeno pepper, a paprika pepper, a serrano pepper, or an Anaheim pepper.

[0116] In some embodiments, the first or second pepper variety is selected from Capsicum annuum var. glabriusculum, Capsicum cardenasii, Capsicum chacoense, Capsicum eximium, Capsicum flexuosum. Capsicum, galapagoense , Capsicum rabenii, Capsicum rhomboideum., and Capsicum tovarii.Chemically induced chromosome doubling

[0117] Following interspecific hybridization, a chromosome doubling agent is applied. The chromosome doubling agent may be an anti-mitotic agent including, but not limited to, colchicine, trifluralin, oryzalin, amiprophos-methyl, and other polyploidy inducing agent(s). Tetrapioids can occur spontaneously in nature or be induced using spindle fiber inhibitors, suchas colchicine. The technique of colchicine-induced polyploidization has been used since the I93()’s. Colchicine inhibits the assembly of tublin subunits into spindle fibers, such that no chromosome movement can occur and hence, cells at the metaphase stage of mitosis accumulate. When the chromatids separate, but are not divided into separate cells by the spindle, the chromosome number is doubled creating an autopolyploid.

[0118] When creating a polyploid for breeding purposes, the layer of meristematic cells that gives rise to the gametophytic tissue needs to be doubled. To optimize the probability of successful doubling, a high number of small, actively growing meristems are treated. Colchicine concentration may vary depending on the tissue and species, but may be used, for example, at a concentration of 0.1% to 2.0%. Methods for treating seeds with colchicine or other spindle fiber inhibitors are well-known in the art, as discussed in Poehlman, J. M., Breeding Field Crops, University of Missouri, Holt, Rinehart and Winston Inc. (1966); Watts,L., Flower and Vegetable Plant Breeding, Grower Books (1980); Callaway D. J. and CallawayM. B., Breeding Ornamental Plants, Timber Press Inc. (2000).Protoplast fusion

[0119] In another embodiment, protoplast fusion can also be used to generate allotetraploids and / or hybrid allopolyploids. Protoplast fusion is an induced or spontaneous union, such as a somatic hybridization, between two or more protoplasts (cells of which the cell walls are removed by enzymatic treatment) to produce a single bi- or multi-nucleate cell. The fused cell that may even be obtained with plant species that cannot be interbred in nature is tissue cultured into a hybrid plant exhibiting the desirable combination of traits,

[0120] In some embodiments, the disclosure teaches a method for producing an allotetraploid or hybrid allopolyploid plant having a desirable trait, comprising: fusing a protoplast isolated from one species with another protoplast isolated from another species having a desirable trait; selecting a heterokaryon; and regenerating an allotetraploid plant from the heterokaryon. In some embodiments, the two species are sexually incompatible. In some embodiments, the protoplast fusion is asymmetric. In some embodiments, the mitochondria and / or chloroplasts are only provided by a cultivated variety. In some embodiments, the mitochondria and / or chloroplasts are only provided by a wild variety. In some embodiments, the nucleus is only provided by a cultivated variety. In some embodiments, the nucleus is only provided by a wild variety . In some embodiments, the disclosure teaches fusing protoplasts from two different allotetraploids to generate a hybrid allopolyploid.

[0121] In some embodiments, the disclosure relates to allotetraploids and hybrid allopolyploids produced by the methods disclosed herein. In some embodiments, the disclosurerelates to a seed of allotetraploid designated ‘ME 23-16’, wherein a sample of seed of said allotetraploid has been deposited under NCMA Accession Number >

[0122] In some embodiments, the disclosure relates to allotetraploids and hybrid allopolyploids produced by the methods disclosed herein. In some embodiments, the disclosure relates to a seed of allotetraploid designated ‘ME 23-15’, wherein a sample of seed of said allotetraploid has been deposited under NCMA Accession Number >

[0123] In some embodiments, the disclosure relates to allotetraploids and hybrid allopolyploids produced by the methods disclosed herein. In some embodiments, the disclosure relates to a seed of allotetraploid designated "MP 25-01 ’, wherein a sample of seed of said allotetraploid has been deposited under NCMA Accession Number >

[0124] In some embodiments, the disclosure relates to allotetraploids and hybrid allopolyploids produced by the methods disclosed herein. In some embodiments, the disclosure relates to a seed of allotetraploid designated ‘MP 23-04', wherein a sample of seed of said allotetraploid has been deposited under NCMA Accession Number ,

[0125] In some embodiments, the disclosure relates to allotetraploids and hybrid allopolyploids produced by the methods disclosed herein. In some embodiments, the disclosure relates to a seed of allotetraploid designated ‘MP 2.5-02’, wherein a sample of seed of said allotetraploid has been deposited under NCMA Accession Number .

[0126] In some embodiments, the disclosure relates to allotetraploids and hybrid allopolyploids produced by the methods disclosed herein. In some embodiments, the disclosure relates to a seed of allotetraploid designated ‘MP 25-03’, wherein a sample of seed of said allotetraploid has been deposited under NCMA Accession Number .

[0127] In some embodiments, the disclosure relates to allotetraploids and hybrid allopolyploids produced by the methods disclosed herein. In some embodiments, the disclosure relates to a seed of allotetraploid designated ‘MP 25-04’, wherein a sample of seed of said allotetraploid has been deposited under NCMA Accession Number .Generation of allopolyploid hybrids

[0128] Allotetraploids may be intercrossed and bred to other allopolyploids to create additional hybrid lines. In some embodiments, the disclosure teaches a method for producing seed for the production of a hybrid plant comprising the steps of crossing a first allotetraploid plant with a second allotetraploid plant and harvesting the resulting Fi hybrid seed. Different allotetraploids may also be combined via protoplast, fusion, as described above. In some embodiments, one or both of the allotetraploids has a desirable trait, such as a stress tolerance. In some embodiments, the first and second allotetraploids have different desirable traits. Forexample, the first provides at least one tolerance against at least one stress factor which is not provided by the second, such as, one is stress-tolerant against an abiotic stress, while the other is stress tolerant against a biotic stress. In another embodiment, the disclosure relates to hybrid allopolyploid plants and parts thereof grown from hybrid allopolyploid seed.Embryo Rescue

[0129] Alternatively, embryo rescue may be employed in the generation of interspecific hybrids and / or allopolyploid hybrids. Embryo rescue can be used as a procedure to isolate embryos from crosses to rapidly move to the next generation of backcrossing or selfing or wherein plants fail to produce viable seed. In this process, the fertilized ovary- or immature seed of a plant is tissue cultured to create new plants (see Pierik, 1999, In Vitro Culture of Higher Plants, Springer, ISBN 079235267X, 978-0792352679, which is incorporated herein byreference in its entirety).Tissue Culture

[0130] As is well known in the art, tissue culture can be used for the in vitro regeneration of plants. By way of example, a tissue culture comprising organs has been used to produce regenerated plants as described in Girish- Chandel et al.. Advances in Plant Sciences. 2000, 13 : 1, 11-17, Costa et al.. Plant Cell Report. 2000, 19: 3327-332, Plastira et al.,ActaHorticulturae. 1997, 447, 2.31-234, Zagorska et al,, Plant Cell Report. 1998, 17: 12. 968-973, Asahura et al.. Breeding Science . 1995, 45: 455-459, Chen et al.. Breeding Science. 1994, 44: 3, 257-262, Patil et al.. Plant and Tissue and Organ Culture. 1994, 36: 2,255-258. It is clear from the literature that the state of the art is such that these methods of obtaining plants are routinely' used and have a very high rate of success. Thus, another aspect of this disclosure is to provide cells which upon growth and differentiation produce allopolyploid plants.

[0131] As used herein, the term “tissue culture’’ indicates a composition comprising isolated cells of the same or a different type or a collection of such cells organized into parts of a plant. Exemplary' types of tissue cultures are protoplasts, calli, plant clumps, and plant cells that can generate tissue culture that are intact m plants or parts of plants, such as embryos, pollens, flowers, seeds, leaves, stems, roots, root tips, anthers, pistils, meristematic cells, axillary- buds, ovaries, seed coats, endosperms, hypocotyls, cotyledons and the like. Means for preparing and maintaining plant tissue culture are well known in the art. By way of example, a tissue culture comprising organs has been used to produce regenerated plants. U.S. Patent Nos. 5,959,185, 5,973,234, and 5,977,445 describe certain techniques, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.Asexual propagation

[0132] Sometimes referred to as vegetative propagation, asexual propagation of plants involves taking a plant part, for example a stem or root, and regenerating it into a new plant. Types of asexual propagation include, for example, cuttings, layering, division, separation, grafting, budding, and micropropagation. In some embodiments, following protoplast fusion or chromosome doubling, the allopolyploid is asexually propagated. In some embodiments, following crossing two allopolyploids, the resulting Fi hybrid allopolyploid is asexually propagated.Desirable traits

[0133] In some embodiments, the disclosure teaches a method for producing an allotetraploid plant or part thereof having a desirable trait, comprising: crossing a first variety with a second, related variety having a desirable trait to produce interspecific hybrid seed; growing the interspecific hybrid seed to produce an interspecific hybrid plant; applying a chromosome doubling agent to the interspecific hybrid plant, or a vegetative cutting thereof, to generate a chimeric interspecific hybrid; growing the chimeric interspecific hybrid to produce seed; collecting seed; growing the seed; and selecting an allopolyploid plant having a desirable trait. In some embodiments, the first variety is a cultivated variety or commercial variety. In some embodiments, the second, related variety is a wild variety or a landrace variety.

[0134] In some embodiments, the desirable trait may include increased fruit number, fruit size and fruit weight, higher seed yield, improved color, resistance to diseases, pests and insects, tolerance to drought, heat, cold, salinity, better uniformity, higher nutritional value and better agronomic quality, growth rate, high seed germination, seedling vigor, early flowering, early fruit maturity, ease of fruit setting, adaptability for soil and climate conditions, root vigor, plant vigor, fruit firmness, content in soluble solids, acidity and viscosity. With mechanical harvesting of, fruit setting concentration, harvestability and field holding are also very important.

[0135] In some embodiments, plants are selected based on particularly desirable traits that may be incorporated by the methods of this disclosure. In some aspects, the desirable trait is improved resistance to abiotic and biotic stressors. Biotic stressors include different viral, fungal, and bacterial pathogens and improved resistance to insect pests. Improved resistance to insect pests is another desirable trait that may be incorporated into new allopolyploid plants developed by this disclosure. See also Cappelli, C., et al.. Sources of resistance among Solanum spp. to an Italian isolate of Fusarium oxysporum f sp. melongenae. In Proceedings of 9th EUCARPIA Meetings Genet Breeding Capsicum Eggplant, Sincop, Budapest, 1995; pp. 221 224. Rizza, F., et al.. Androgenic dihapioids from somatic hybrids between Solanummelongena and 5. aethiopicum group gilo as a source of resistance to Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. melongenae. Plant Cell Rep. 2002, 20, 1022-1032; Hebert, Y. Comparative resistance of nine species of the genes Solanum to bacterial wilt Psedomonas solanacearum and the nematode Meloidogyne incognita. Implications for the breeding of aubergine (5. melongena) in the humid tropical zone. Agronomic 1985, 5, 27-32.

[0136] In some embodiments, the desirable trait is resistance to a biotic stressor such as disease resistance, a pest resistance, a bacterial resistance, a fungal resistance, an insect resistance, and a nematode resistance. Pest and pathogens affecting eggplant include, but are not limited to, bacterial wilt, verticillium wilt, potato late blight, eggplant mottle dwarf virus (EMDV), eggplant mottle crinkle virus (EMCV), eggplant severe mottle virus (ESMV), eggplant mosaic virus ( EM V), anthracnose, spider mites, Phomopsis blight, aphids, downy mildew, eggplant lace bug, and hornworms.

[0137] Pest and pathogens affecting pepper plants include, but are not limited to, thrips, aphids, whitefly, anthracnose, tomato spotted wilt virus, cucumber mosaic virus, European com borer, pepper weevil, wet rot (Choanephora blight), cercospora leaf spot. Phytophthora capsica, and begomoviruses.

[0138] In some embodiments, the allotetraploid and hybrid allopolyploid plants described herein are resistant to, or can be used as rootstock to confer resistance to, a susceptible scion variety.

[0139] In some embodiments, the desirable trait is resistance to an abiotic stressor such as drought tolerance, salinity tolerance, flooding / water tolerance, and heat and cold temperature tolerance.

[0140] Salinization is an adverse result of irrigation (Tanji, 1990). Salts come from primary minerals in soil. All surface and ground waters contain dissolved salts picked up from soil and geologic materials that the water has come in contact with. Water used for irrigation leaves salts behind when it evaporates or is transpired by agricultural plants. Hie accumulating salts can negatively impact all stages of plant growth, from seed germination through seed set. Yet, irrigation is necessary to attain higher agricultural productivities to meet the growing demand for food and feed.

[0141] The need for salt and drought tolerant crops is steadily increasing, as fresh water supplies dimmish, irrigation increases, and salinization threatens ever greater acres across the world . The present disclosure provides a method for transferring the salt tolerance of some wild varieties to cultivated varieties.

[0142] In some embodiments, the selected varieties having one or more desirable traits have a homozygosity of at ieast 80% and / or are varieties which are strict or preferential selfpollinators.

[0143] In some embodiments the desirable trait is a single gene trait. Single gene traits may or may not be transgenic. It should be appreciated that in certain embodiments, plants may be selected based on the absence, suppression or inhibition of a certain feature or trait (such as an undesirable feature or trait) as opposed to the presence of a certain feature or trait (such as a dessrable feature or trait).

[0144] Selecting plants based on genotypic information is also envisaged (for example, including the pattern of plant gene expression, genotype, or presence of genetic markers). Where the presence of one or more genetic marker is assessed, the one or more marker may already be known and / or associated with a particular characteristic of a plant; for example, a marker or markers may be associated with an increased growth rate or metabolite profile. This information could be used in combination with assessment based on other characteristics in a method of the disclosure to select for a combination of different plant characteristics that may be desirable. Such techniques may be used to identify novel quantitative trait loci (QTLs). By way of example, plants may be selected based on growth rate, size (including but not limited to weight, height, leaf size, stem size, branching pattern, or the size of any part of the plant), general health, survival, tolerance to adverse physical environments and / or any other characteristic, as described herein before.

[0145] Further non-limiting examples include selecting plants based on: speed of seed germination; quantity of biomass produced; increased root, and / or leaf / shoot growth that leads to an increased yield (fruit) or biomass production; effects on plant growth that results in an increased seed yield for a crop; effects on plant growth which result in an increased yield; effects on plant growth that lead to an increased resistance or tolerance to disease including fungal, viral or bacterial diseases, to mycoplasma, or to pests such as insects, mites or nematodes in which damage is measured by decreased foliar symptoms such as the incidence of bacterial or fungal lesions, or area of damaged foliage or reduction in the numbers of nematode cysts or galls on plant roots, or improvements in plan t yield in the presence of such plant pests and diseases; effects on plant growth that lead to increased metabolite yields; effects on plant growth that lead to improved aesthetic appeal w’hich may be particularly important in crops grown fortheir form, color or taste.

[0146] In some embodiments, the desirable trait is an improved output trait in the fruit or vegetable of the scion variety produced from the composite plant, compared to those of thesame variety grown without a rootstock or with a different rootstock. In some embodiments, the output trait is increased sweetness, increased shelf-life, larger fruit or vegetable size, improved flavor, improved texture, improved color, increased nutrient content, altered nutrient content, or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, the increased nutrient is an antioxidant, fiber, potassium, vitamin C, protein, calcium, vitamin K, vitamin A, magnesium, boron, zinc, or combination thereof. In some embodiments, the increased nutrient is a carotenoids, terpenoid, saponin, phytochemical, or combination thereof. In some embodiments, the scion is an eggplant and the eggplant fruit has increased nutrient content selected from potassium, copper, vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin K, vitamin B6, vitamin Bl, niacin, fiber, protein, magnesium, manganese, polyphenols, and combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the scion is a pepper plant, and the pepper fruit has increased nutrient content selected from vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin K, potassium, vitamin B6, niacin, folate, magnesium, beta-carotene, riboflavin, iron, and combinations thereof.Interploidy hybridization

[0147] In addition to crosses with other allopolyploids, the allotetraploids of the present disclosure may also be crossed with plants having different ploidy levels. In some embodiments, the allotetraploids and / or hybrid allopolyploid plants of the present disclosure are crossed with a diploid cultivar. In some embodiments, the allopolyploid plant is an allotetraploid crossed with a diploid cultivar to produce a triploid plant.Composite (non-natu rally occurring grafted) plants

[0148] Grafting is a method of asexual plant propagation widely used in agriculture and horticulture where the tissues of one plant are encouraged to fuse with those of another (Yamakawa K. Use of rootstocks in Solanaceous fruit-vegetable production in Japan. Japan Agricultural Research Quarterly. 1982 Jan 1; 15(3): 175-9). Grafting involves combining two independent plant parts into one plant. Such combination may be performed in various ways, including, but not limited to cleft grafting, side grafting, whip grafting, stub grafting, awl grafting, veneer grafting, bark grafting, tongue grafting, splice grafting, tip-cleft grafting, saddle grafting, approach grafting, and budding grafting (patch budding, chip budding, T- budding) (for further details see Garner R. J., The Grafter’s Handbook, 5th Ed edition (March 1993) Cassell Academic; ISBN: 0304342742). Grafting produces a non-naturally occurring composite plant.

[0149] An embodiment of the present disclosure relates to composite plants comprising the allotetraploids or hybrid allopolyploids described herein as rootstock and methods of generating said composite plants. In some embodiments, the scion is a cultivated variety. Insome embodiments, the cultivated variety is the same variety used in the initial interspecific cross or protoplast fusion to generate the allotetraploid or hybrid allopolyploid rootstock, and thus rootstock and scion share at least one allele. In some embodiments, the rootstock and scion share at least one chromosome. In some embodiments, the rootstock and scion share a set of chromosomes. In some embodiments, the disclosure relates to a chimeric plant tissue generated by grafting a cultivated variety' as the scion to an allotetraploid or hybrid allopolyploid plant described herein as the rootstock. In some embodiments, the chimeric plant tissue comprises a first plant cell and a second plant cell, wherein the first plant cell is an allotetraploid or allopolyploid comprising chromosomes from a cultivated variety' and at least one species related to the cultivated variety.

[0150] The allopolyploid plants described herein are graft compatible and may be suitable for use as rootstock for cultivated varieties of a different species or genera, and overcome previous graft incompatibility of some scion+rootstock combinations. Some intrafamilial grafts are compatible within Solanaceae and Cucurbitaceae, for example. The allopolyploid plants and methods of producing disclosed herein may possess any number of desirable traits and confer as much to the scion, and fruits and vegetables produced therefrom, including, but not limited to, resistance and / or tolerance to salinity stress, cold stress, heat stress, drought stress, disease resistance, fungal resistance, pest resistance, bacterial resistance, insect resistance, and nematode resistance. Additionally, the allotetraploid and hybrid allopolyploid plants described herein may further increase yield of the scion plant and / or improve an output trait, such as nutrient content of the fruits or vegetables harvested from the scion. The allotetraploid and hybrid allopolyploid plants disclosed herein are especially suitable for automated grafting by an automated grafting machine due to their high uniformity. Tims, in another embodiment, the disclosure teaches methods of conferring a desirable trait from a wild or landrace species to a cultivated variety' by grafting. In some embodiments, the allotetraploid or hybrid allopolyploid is used as a rootstock. In some embodiments, the disclosure relates to a method of producing a composite plant wherein the rootstock is an allotetraploid or hybrid allopoly ploid as described herein having an abiotic stress tolerance (for example, resistance to salt stress), and the scion has a biotic stress tolerance (for example, resistance to a pest, or pathogen).

[0151] Grafting is a process that has been used for many years in crops such as members of the Eggplant family. The variety used as the scion (usually an elite commercial variety), is grafted onto a rootstock variety, usually comprising a desirable trait such as resistance to abiotic or biotic stress. The resistant rootstock thus remains healthy and provides nutrients from the soil to the scion. In some recent developments, it has also been shown that some rootstocks arealso able to improve the agronomic value for the grafted plant and in particular the equilibrium between the vegetative and generative development that are difficult to balance some cultivation.

[0152] The allotetraploids and hybrid allopolyploids described herein can be bred with other allopolyploids to generate hybrid allopolyploids, and / or used as rootstock for a number of commercial varieties and other species. In some embodiments, the scion is a variety of a globe eggplant, an Italian eggplant, a Japanese eggplant, a Chinese eggplant, a Thai eggplant, an Indian eggplant, a fairy tale eggplant, a graffiti eggplant, or a white eggplant. In some embodiments, the scion is selected from the group consisting of: S. melongena var. agreste, S. melongena var. album, S. melongena var. divancatum, S. melongena var. esculentum, S. melongena var. giganteum, S. melongena var. globosi, S. melongena var, inerme, S. melongena var. insanum, S. melongena var. leucoum, S. melongena var. luteum, S. melongena var. multifidum, S. melongena var. oblongo-cylindricum, S. melongena var. ovigera, S. melongena var, racemiflorum, S. melongena var. racemosum, S. melongena var. ruber, S. melongena var. rumphii, S. melongena var. sinuatorepandum, S. melongena var. stenoleucum, S. melongena var. subrepandum, S. melongena var. tongdongense, S. melongena var. variegatum, S. melongena var. violaceum, and <$’. melongena var. vinde.

[0153] In some embodiments, the scion is a variety of sweet pepper. In some embodiments, tlie scion is a variety of hot pepper.

[0154] In some embodiments, the scion is a variety of bell pepper, cayenne pepper, friggiteilo pepper, jalapeno pepper, paprika pepper, serrano pepper, or an Anaheim pepper,

[0155] There are several methods for grafting. Examples of suitable grafting methodologies include, without limitation, cleft grafting, approach grafting, micrografting, tube grafting, side insertion grafting, and top insertion grafting. Cleft grafting involves cutting a V-shape into the rootstock and inserting a complementing wedge-shaped scion. The graft may be then held with a small clip until healing occurs. Approach grafting, also known as tongue approach grafting (TAG), involves notching opposing sides of the stems of the root-stock and scion, and then using a clip to hold the stems together while they fuse. Once the graft has healed, the scion of the desired rootstock plant may be removed above the graft site, and the unused rootstock from scion plant may be detached from the scion below the graft site. Micrografting, also known as splice grafting, is a technique that has been recently integrated into micropropagation production for hybrid tomato. Micrografting involves utilizing micropropagated scion shoots that may be grafted onto approximately three-week-old rootstock seedlings. In some embodiments, micrografting is utilized for commercial scale grafting. Tube grafting involvessevering the scion and rootstock as seedlings and ataching the severed rootstock seedling to the severed scion seedling with a small, silicone tube with or without a clip. Tube grafting can be highly effective, as it may be earned out when plants are very small, thereby eliminating the need for large healing chambers while increasing the output. Although less frequently used on a commercial scale, side insertion grafting, and top insertion grafting are also contemplated herein. See also (Lee, 1994; Lee and Oda, 2003; Hanna, 2012; Lee and Oda, 2003; Oda, 1995; Rivard and Louws, 2006; Vu et al., 2015; Bausher, 2013; Rivard and Louws, 2006; Kubota et ah, 2008; and Lee, 2003).DEPOSIT INFORMATION

[0156] A deposit of allopolyploid seed of this disclosure is maintained by RedSea Science and Technology Inc,, 14 Ridge Square NW, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20016.

[0157] In addition, a sample of 625 seeds of the varieties disclosed herein will be deposited with an International Depositary Authority as established under the Budapest Treaty according to 37 CFR 1.803(a)(1).

[0158] Applicant will deposit seeds at the Provasoh-Guillard National Center for Marine Algae and Microbiota (NCMA), located at the Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Science at 60 Bigelow Drive East Boothbay, ME 04544.

[0159] To satisfy the enablement requirements of 35 U.S.C. 112, and to certify’ that the deposit of the allopolyploids of the present disclosure meets the criteria set forth in 37 CFR 1.801- 1.809 and Manual of Patent Examining Procedure (MPEP) 2402-2411.05, Applicant hereby makes the following statements regarding the deposited seed:1. During the pendency of this application, access to the disclosure will be afforded to the Commissioner upon request;2. All restrictions on availability to the public will be irrevocably removed upon granting of the patent under conditions specified in 37 CFR 1.808;3. The deposit will be maintained in a public repository' tor a period of 30 years or 5 years after the last request or for the effective life of the patent, whichever is longer;4. A test of the viability of the biological material at the time of deposit will be conducted by the public depository’ under 37 CFR 1 .807; and5. The deposit will be replaced if it should ever become unavailable.

[0160] Access to this deposit will be available during the pendency of this application to persons determined by the Commissioner of Patents and Trademarks to be entitled thereto under 37 C.F.R. § 1.14 and 35 U.S.C. § 122. Upon allowance of any claims in this application,all restrictions on the availability to the public of the variety will be irrevocably removed by affording access to a deposit of at least 625 seeds of the same variety with the NCMA.

[0161] Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. Although any methods and materials, similar or equivalent to those described herein, can be used in the practice or testing of the present invention, tire non-limiting exemplary methods and materials are described herein.

[0162] All publications and patent applications mentioned in the specification are indicative of the level of those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains. All publications and patent applications are herein incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each individual publication or patent application was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference. Nothing herein is to be construed as an admission that the present disclosure is not entitled to antedate such publication by virtue of prior disclosure.

[0163] Many modifications and other embodiments of the disclosures set forth herein will come to mind to one skilled in the art to which these disclosures pertain having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is to be understood that tire disclosures are not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed and that modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.

[0164] While the disclosure has been described in connection with specific embodiments thereof, it will be understood that it is capable of further modifications and this application is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the disclosure following, in general, the principles of the disclosure and including such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice within the art to which the disclosure pertains and as may be applied to the essential features hereinbefore set forth and as follows in the scope of the appended claims.EXAMPLES

[0165] The following examples are provided to illustrate further the various applications and are not intended to limit the disclosure beyond the limitations set forth in the appended claims. Example 1: Capsicum Allopolyploids

[0166] Capsicum allopolyploids can be generated by the methods disclosed herein. The Capsicum genus includes both chili peppers and bell peppers. Most Capsicum species arediploid (2n=2x=24), but there are a few species for which the genome is 2n=2x=32. Capsicum has a large genome, with the DNA content ranging from 7.65 pg / nucleus in C. annuum to 9.72 pg / nucleus in C. pubescens, and with a general mean of 8.42 pg / nucleus. Capsicum genes have been studied for almost a century since 1912, and a list of genes and related traits are described by Wang (2006, The Genes of Capsicum, HortScience 41(5) 1169-1187).

[0167] Example Capsicum species include C. annuum, C. frutescens, C. chinense, C. pendulum., C. pubescens, C. minimum, C. baccatum, C. abbreviation, C. anomalum, C. breviflorum, C. buforum, C. brasilianum, C. campylopodium, C. cardenasii, C. chacoense, C. ci Hare, C. ciliatum, C. chlorocladium, C. coccineum, C. cordifbrrne, C. cornutum, C. dimorphum, C. dusenii, C exile, C eximium, C. fasciculatum, C. fastigiation, C. flexuosum, C. galapagoen.se, C. geminifolum, C. hookerianum, C. lanceolation, C. leptopodum, C. luteum, C microcarpum, C. minutiflorum, C. mirabile, C. parvifolium, C. praetermissum, C. schottianum, C. scolmkianum, C. stramonifolium, C. tetragonum, C. tovarii, C. villosum. and C. violaceum. More Capsicum species are described in Heiser and Smith (The cultivated Capsicum peppers. Econ Bot 7:214-227), Pickersgill (1988, The genus Capsicum', a multidisciplinary approach to the taxonomy of cultivated and wild plants. Biologisches Zentralblatt 107:381-389), De (Capsicum,' the genus Capsicum, Volume 33 of Medicinal and aromatic plants, Publisher CRC Press, 2003, ISBN 0415299918, 97804152.99916), Bosland and Votava (Peppers: vegetable and spice capsicums. Issue 12 of Crop production science in horticulture, Publisher CABI, 2000, ISBN 0851993354, 9780851993355), and Andrews (Peppers: the domesticated Capsicums, Publisher University of Texas Press, 1995, ISBN 0292704674, 9780292704671).

[0168] Desirable traits from wild or related Capsicum species can be transferred to commercial Capsicum varieties using the methods disclosed herein of generating allopolyploids and using the allopolyploid as a rootstock for the commercial variety. Example commercial varieties of Capsicum, annuum include, but are not limited to, Aleppo, Anaheim, Bell, Cascabel, Cayenne, Cherry, Chilaca, Chiltepin, Cubanelle, De arbol, Fresno, Guajillo, Guntur, Sannam, Hungarian wax, Italian sweet pepper, Jalapeno, Japanese, Mirasol, Macho, New Mexico, Pepperoncini, Pequin pepper. Poblano, Puya, Serrano, Super Chili, and Tien Tsin.

[0169] The Fi interspecific hybrids can be evaluated for traits prior to chromosome doubling. For example, some of the criteria may include plant vigor, fruit size, fruit firmness, fruit number, improved color, fruit shape, disease resistance, and various stress-tolerances.Example 2: Pepper Allotetraploid Capsicum annuum x Capsicum chinense named ‘MP 25-01’

[0170] Allotetraploid variety ‘MP 25-01 ’ was generated by an interspecific cross of a Capsicum annuum variety and a Capsicum chinense variety. The C. annuum flowers were used as female parents, emasculated, and pollinated with pollen extracted from a C. chinense accession selected for disease resistance and stress tolerance. Fi hybrid seeds were sown m commercial seedling trays with either 50 or 72 cells, following standard seedling production practices. Once the seedlings emerged, Oryzalin solution (35 -50 pM) was applied to the apical meristem to induce chromosome doubling.

[0171] After developing 3-4 true leaves, ploidy was confirmed by flow cytometry, selecting only tetrapioid plants to further self and obtain seeds.

[0172] The closest commercial rootstock variety to allotetraploid variety ‘MP 25-01’ is ‘ Vitalpaprika’ (a Capsicum annuum x Capsicum chinense Fi hybrid). However, as shown in Table 1 below', allotetraploid variety ‘MP 25-01’ has different morphology compared to diploid ‘Vitalpaprika’, for example in leaf shape, intensity of green leaf color, and growth vigor (FIG. 3).Table I : Characteristics of ‘MP 25-01’ compared to diploid ‘Vitalpaprika’Example 3: Pepper Aliotetr apioid Capsicum annuum x Capsicum chinense named ‘MP 23-04’

[0173] Allotetraploid variety ‘MP 23-04’ was generated by an interspecific cross of a Capsicum annuum variety and a Capsicum chinense variety. The C. annuum flowers were used as female parents, emasculated, and pollinated with pollen extracted from a C. chinense accession selected based on traits of interest, including resistance to Tomato SpotedWilt Virus (TSWV) (Boiteux, 1995), Cucumber Mosaic Virus (CMV), and Chilli Vernal Mosaic Vitus (CVMV) (Kaimangara et. al., 2017).

[0174] At seedling stage, the shoot of selected Fl interspecific hybrid(s) was cut and most leaves removed without damaging the apical meristem. Hie cuttings were soaked in 5 mM colchicine solution overnight with gentle shaking. After 3 washes to remove colchicine, cuttings were transferred to soil to grow roots and regenerate into a chimeric plant. Pepper fruits coming from those plants were then collected and seeds of each were sown to test the ploidy via flow' cytometry, measuring the nuclear DNA content relative to a diploid sample. Allotetraploid variety ‘MP 23-04' was selected based on uniformity and seed yield.

[0175] The closest commercial variety to allotetraploid variety ‘MP 23-04' is ‘Freedom F1’, an interspecific hybrid between C. annuum and C. chinense. However, as shown in Table 2 below, allotetraploid variety ‘MP 23-04’ has different morphology compared to diploid ‘Freedom F1’.Table 2: Characteristics of ‘MP 23-04’ compared to diploid ‘Freedom Fi’

[0176] The commercial pepper variety ‘Triora’ was grafted onto the allotetraploid rootstock ‘MP 23-04’ and diploid variety ‘Freedom Fi’. Composite Triora-Freedom F1 plants displayed an average leaf spread of 15,3 cm, whereas composite Triora-MP 23-04 plants had an average leaf spread of 19.0 cm, corresponding to a 24% increase (FIG. 4). Graft unions of Triora-MP 23-04 exhibited good healing compatibility.Example 4: Pepper Allotetraploid Capsicum chinense x Capsicum annuum named ‘MP 25-02’

[0177] Allotetraploid variety ‘MP 25-02’ was generated by an interspecific cross of a Capsicum chinense variety and a Capsicum annuum variety. Hie C. chinerise flowers were used as female parents, emasculated, and pollinated with pollen extracted from a C. annuum variety selected for disease resistance and stress tolerance.

[0178] Fi hybrid seeds were sown in commercial seedling trays with either 50 or 72 cells. Once seedlings emerged, Oryzalin solution (35-50 pM) was applied to the apical meristem to induce chromosome doubling.

[0179] After developing 3-4 true leaves, ploidy was confirmed by flow cytometry, selecting only tetrapioid plants to further self and obtain seeds.

[0180] The closest commercial rootstock variety7to allotetraploid variety ‘MP25-02’ is ‘Vitalpaprika.’ However, as shown in Table 3 below, allotetraploid variety ‘MP25-02’ has different morphology compared to diploid ‘Vitalpaprika’.Table 3: Characteristics of ‘MP 25-02’ compared to diploid ‘Vitalpaprika’Example 5; Pepper Allotetraploid Capsicum annuum x Capsicum chinense named ‘MP 25-03’

[0181] Allotetraploid variety ‘MP 25-03’ was generated by an interspecific cross of a Capsicum annuum variety and a Capsicum chinense variety. The C, annuum flowers were used as female parents, emasculated, and pollinated with pollen extracted from a C. chinense accession selected for stress tolerance.

[0182] Fi hybrid seeds were sown in commercial seedling trays with either 50 or 72 cells.Once seedlings emerged, Oryzalin solution (35-50 pM) was applied to tire apical meristem to induce chromosome doubling.

[0183] After developing 3-4 true leaves, ploidy was confirmed by flow cytometry, selecting only tetrapioid plants to further self and obtain seeds.

[0184] Hie closest commercial rootstock variety to allotetraploid variety ‘MP 25-03’ is ‘Vitalpaprika.’ However, as shown in Table 4 below, allotetraploid variety ‘MP 25-03’ has different morphology compared to diploid ‘Vitalpaprika’.Table 4: Characteristics of ‘MP 25-03’ compared to diploid ‘Vitalpaprika’Example 6: Pepper Allotetrapioid Capsicum annuurn x Capsicum chinense named ‘MP 25-04’

[0185] Allotetraploid variety ‘MP 25-04’ was generated by an interspecific cross of a Capsicum annuum variety and a Capsicum chinense variety. The C. annuum flowers were used as female parents, emasculated, and pollinated with pollen extracted from a C. chinense accession selected for disease resistance.

[0186] Fi hybrid seeds were sown in commercial seedling trays with either 50 or 72 cells. Once seedlings emerged, Oryzalin solution (35-50 pM) was applied to the apical meristem to induce chromosome doubling.

[0187] After developing 3-4 true leaves, ploidy was confirmed by flow cytometry, selecting only tetrapioid plants to further self and obtain seeds.

[0188] The closest commercial rootstock variety to allotetraploid variety ‘MP 25-04’ is‘Vitalpaprika.’ However, as shown in Table 5 below, allotetraploid variety ‘MP 25-04’ has different morphology compared to diploid ‘Vitalpaprika’.Table 5: Characteristics of ‘MP 25-04’ compared to diploid ‘Vi taipaprika’Example 7: Eggplant AHotetrapioid Solatium melongena x Solanum aethiopicum named ‘ME 23-15’

[0189] Seeds of an interspecific cross of a S. melongena variety and a A. aethiopicum variety were obtained.

[0190] At seedling stage, the shoot of selected Fi interspecific hybrid(s) was cut and most leaves removed without damaging the apical meristem. The cuttings were soaked in 5 mM colchicine solution overnight with gentle shaking. After 3 washes to remove colchicine, cuttings were transferred to soil to grow' roots and regenerate into a chimeric plant. Eggplant fruits coming from those plants were then collected and seeds of each were sown to test the ploidy via flow cytometry', measuring the nuclear DNA content relative to a diploid sample. AHotetrapioid variety ‘ME 23-15’ was selected based on uniformity and seed yield.

[0191] The closest commercial rootstock variety to allotetraploid variety ‘ME 23-15’ is ‘Beo’. However, as shown in Table 6, allotetraploid variety ‘ME 23-15’ has different morphology compared to commercial rootstock variety ‘Beo’ (See also FIG. 5). ‘Beo’ Fi plants are sterile hybrids and do not produce any fruit.Table 6: Allotetraploid variety ‘ME 23-15’ characteristics

[0192] Allotetraploids described herein can be bred with other allotetraploids to generate hybrid allopolyploids, and / or used as rootstock for a number of commercial varieties and other species.

[0193] Allotetraploid variety ‘ME 23-15' shows uniformity and stability for the traits due to the fixation of heterozygosity achieved by the chromosome doubling agent.

[0194] Allotetraploid variety ‘ME 23-15’ was evaluated as a. rootstock in a grafting experiment. The commercial variety ‘de Barbentane’ was grafted onto the ‘ME 23-15’ rootstock, and for comparison, it was also grafted onto the commercial rootstock variety ‘Beo.’ All grafting was performed manually using standard techniques. The composite plants were cultivated in the horticultural landscape of Chateau Roueire, Herault, France. The Barbentane- ME 23-15 composite plants produced a total yield of 1486.5 g of fruit per plant, compared to a total yield of 981.5 g per plant for the Barbentane-Beo composite plants. This represents a 51 .5% yield increase for the Barbentane-ME 23-15 composite plants over the Barbentane-Beo composite plants (FIG. 7). Regarding fruit size, the Barbentane-ME 23-15 composite plants produced fruits with an average size (g / fruit) of 141.6 g, while the Barbentane-Beo composite plants produced fruits averaging 163.6 g. This corresponds to a 13.5% decrease in fruit size for tlie Barbentane-ME 23-15 composite plants over the Barbentane-Beo composite plants (FIG. 8A). However, the Barbentane-ME 23-15 composite plants produced more fruit overall compared to the Barbentane-Beo composite plants. As shown in FIG. 8B. Barbentane-Beo composite plants produced an average of 6.0 total fruits across all harvests, whereas Barbentane-ME 23-15 composite plants produced an average of 10.5 total fruits across all harvests, a 75% increase in fruit number over Barbentane-Beo composite plants.

[0195] Allotetraploid ‘ME 23-15’ also exhibits longer roots compared to ‘Beo’ (FIG. 10). As shown in FIG. 8, after three months of growth, the two replicates of ‘ME 23-15’averaged 58.5 cm for the longest root, whereas the two replicates for ‘Beo’ averaged 50 cm for the longest root. Thus, ‘ME 23-15’ had a 17% increase in root length over ‘Beo’.

[0196] The allotetraploid variety ‘ME 23-15’ was evaluated as a rootstock under heat stress conditions. The commercial variety ‘de Barbentane’ was grafted onto the allotetraploid rootstock ‘ME 23-15,’ resulting in approximately 15 composite plants. For comparison, ’de Barbentane’ was also grafted onto two commercial rootstocks, ‘Beo’ and ‘Javah,’ generating around 15 composite plants for each scion / rootstock combination. All grafting was performed manually using standard grafting techniques. The plants were cultivated during the summer season (April - September 2024) on plot number 16 at the Plant Growth Core Labs' agricultural research field site at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia. The soil type at the site was sandy loam, and the plants were irrigated with freshwater, experiencing temperatures ranging from 28.52 °C to 41.73 °C. Throughout the growing period, a regular application of NPK fertilizer was administered to ensure optimal nutrient availability. The Barbentane-ME 23-15 composite plants produced an average of 139.4 g of fruit per plant, while the Barbentane-Beo composite plants yielded an average of 64.3 g offruit per plant, and the Barbentane-Javah composite plants yielded 87.7 g of fruit per plant. This corresponded to a 1 17% increase in yield for the Barbentane-ME 23-15 plants compared to the Barbentane-Beo plants and a 59% increase compared to the Barbentane-Javah plants (FIG. 9). In terms of fruit number, the Barbentane-ME 23-15 composite plants produced an average of 1.5 fruits per plant, representing an 88% increase over the Barbentane-Beo plants (0.8 fruits per plant) and a 25% increase over the Barbentane-Javah plants ( 1.2 fruits per plant) (FIG. 9). For fruit size, the average fruit size of Barbentane-ME 23-15 was 71.9 g, showing a 36% increase compared to the Barbentane-Beo plants (52.7 g) and a 22% decrease compared to the Barbentane-Javah plants (75.5 g).Example 8: Eggplant Allotetraploid Solanum melongena x Solanum torvum - Allotetraploid Variety ‘ME 23-16’

[0197] Seeds of an interspecific cross of a >S. melongena variety and a >S. torvum variety were obtained.

[0198] At seedling stage, the shoot of selected Fi interspecific hybrid(s) was cut and most leaves removed without damaging the apical meristem. The cuttings were soaked in 5 mM colchicine solution overnight with gentle shaking. After 3 washes to remove colchicine, cuttings were transferred to soil to grow roots and regenerate into a chimeric plant. Eggplant fruits coming from those plants were then collected and seeds of each were sown to test the ploidy via flow cytometry, measuring the nuclear DMA content relative to a diploid sample. Allotetraploid variety ‘ME 23-16’ was selected based on uniformity and seed yield.

[0199] The closest commercial rootstock variety to allotetraploid variety ’ME 23-16’ is ‘Javali’. However, as shown in Table 7 below, allotetraploid variety ‘ME 23-16’ has different morphology compared to commercial rootstock variety ‘Javali' (See also FIG. 6). ‘Javah’ F1 plants are sterile hybrids and do not produce any fruit.Table 7: Allotetraploid variety ‘ME 23-16’ characteristics

[0200] Allotetraploids described herein can be bred with other allotetraploids to generate hybrid allopolyploids, and / or used as rootstock for a number of commercial varieties and other species.

[0201] Allotetraploid variety ‘ME 23-16’ was tested as a rootstock in a grafting experiment. The commercial variety ‘de Barbentane’ was grafted onto the ‘ME 23-16’ rootstock, and for comparison, it was also grafted onto the commercial rootstock variety ‘Javah.’ All grafting was performed manually using standard techniques. Tire composite plants were cultivated in thehorticultural landscape of Chateau Roueire, Herault, France. Tire Barbentane-ME 23-16 composite plants had a total yield of 849 g of fruit per plant, compared to 755 g per plant for the Barbentane-Javah composite plants. This represents a 12.5% yield increase for the Barbentane-ME 23-16 composite plants over the Barbentane-Javah composite plants (FIG. 7). As shown in FIG. SB, Barbentane-Javah composite plants produced an average of 7.0 total fruits across all harvests, whereas Barbentane-ME 23-16 composite plants produced an average of 6.0 total fruits across all harvests, an approximate 14% decrease in total number of fruits. However, the Barbentane-ME 23-16 composite plants produced bigger fruits. Barbentane-ME 23-16 composite plants produced fruits with an average size of 141.5 g / fruit, while the Barbentane-Javah composite plants produced fruits averaging 107.9 g / fruit. This corresponds to a 31.2% increase in fruit size for the Barbentane-ME 23-16 composite plants over the Barbentane-Javah composite plants (FIG. 8A).

[0202] Allotetraploid ‘ME 23-16’ also exhibits longer roots compared to ‘Javah’ (FIG. 10). As shown in FIG. 10, the two replicates of ‘ME 23-16’averaged 56.5 cm for the longest root, whereas the two replicates of ‘Javah’ averaged 37.5 cm for the longest root. Tirus, ‘ME 23- 16’ had a 50.7% increase in root length over ‘Javah’.

[0203] Allotetraploid variety ‘ME 23-16’ was evaluated as a rootstock under heat stress conditions. The commercial variety ‘de Barbentane’ was grafted onto the allotetraploid rootstock ‘ME 23-16,’ resulting in approximately 15 composite plants. For comparison, ‘de Barbentane’ was also grafted onto two commercial rootstocks, ‘Beo‘ and ‘Javah,’ generating around 15 composite plants for each scion / rootstock combination. All grafting was performed manually using standard grafting techniques. The plants were cultivated during the summer season (April - September 2024) on plot number 16 at the Plant Growth Core Labs' agricultural research field site at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia, The soil type at the site was sandy loam, and the plants were irrigated with freshwater, experiencing temperatures ranging from 28,52 °C to 41 ,73 °C. Throughout the growing period, a regular application of NPK fertilizer was administered to ensure optimal nutrient availability. The Barbentane-ME 23-16 composite plants produced an average yield of 134.5 g of fruit per plant, while the Barbentane-Beo composite plants yielded an average of 64.3 g of fruit per plant, and the Barbentane-Javah composite plants yielded 87.7 g of fruit per plant. This corresponded to a 109% increase in yield for tire Barbentane-ME 23-16 plants compared to the Barbentane-Beo plants and a 53% increase compared to the Barbentane-Javah plants (FIG. 9). In terms of fruit number, the Barbentane-ME 23-16 composite plants produced an average of 1.7 fruits per plant, representing a 113% increase over the Barbentane-Beo plants(0.8 fruits per plant) and a 42% increase over the Barbentane-Javah plants (1.2 fruits per plant) (FIG. 9). For fruit size, the average fruit size of Barbentane-ME 23-16 was 86.2 g, showing a 64% increase compared to the Barbentane-Beo plants (52.7 g) and a 14% increase compared to the Barbentane-Javah plants (75.5 g).

[0204] Allotetraploid variety ‘ME 23-16’ was evaluated alongside ‘Javah’ under field conditions at the Instituto Nacional de Tecnologia Agropecuaria (INTA), Mendoza, Argentina, during the 2024-2025 growing season. Ten plants per genotype were measured for shoot height, and five plants per genotype were evaluated for root traits. The average plant height of ‘ME 23-16’ was 92.2 cm, compared to 88.8 cm for ‘Javah’. The tallest ‘ME 23-16’ plant reached 138 cm versus 117 cm in ‘Javah’, corresponding to an 18% increase (Table 8).

[0205] Root measurements showed that ‘ME 23-16’ exhibited an average root length of 44,0 cm, comparable to 44.8 cm in ‘Javah’. Root width averaged 51.0 cm in ‘ME 23-16’ compared to 68.4 cm m ‘Javah’ (Table 9)

[0206] For root biomass, ‘ME 23-16’ recorded a maximum root dry weight of 107 g and an average root dry weight of 42.8 g per plant, compared to a maximum of 54 g and an average of 42.4 g per plant for ‘Javah’. This represented a 98% increase in maximum root biomass for ‘ME 23-16’ (Table 10).Table 8: Plant height for ‘ME 2.3-16’ and ‘Javah’Table 9: Root length and width for ‘ME 2.3-16’ and ‘Javah’Table 10: Root drv weight for 'ME 23-16" and ‘Javah~

[0207] Overall, tinder Argentinian field conditions, ‘ME 23-16’ displayed superior shoot vigor and nearly double the maximum root biomass compared to ‘Javah’ (FIG. 11).Example 9: Eggplant Interspecific hybrids

[0208] Fi interspecific hybrids have been generated from crossings between different accessions of Solanum melongena L. and S. insanum, S. dasyphyllum, S. lichtensteinii, and .S linnaeanum, as shown below in Table 1 1 .Tablet 1: Fi Interspecific hybrids of Solanum melongena L.

[0209] These hybrids are being evaluated for various traits, including plant vigor, fruit size, fruit firmness, fruit shape, disease resistance, and various stress-tolerances. Allopolyploids will be generated for those selected as described above in Examples 2 and 3. Briefly, at seedling stage, the shoot of selected Fi interspecific hybrid(s) will be cut and most leaves removed without damaging the apical meristem. The cuttings can then be soaked in 5 rnM colchicine solution overnight with gentle shaking. After 3 washes to remove colchicine, cuttings are transferred to soil to grow roots and regenerate into a chimeric plant. Fruits coming from those plants will then be collected and seeds of each will be sown to test the ploidy via flow cytometry, measuring the nuclear DNA content relative to a diploid sample.

[0210] Allopolyploids described herein can be bred with other allopolyploids to generate hybrid allopolyploids, and / or used as rootstock for a number of commercial varieties and other species.Example 10: Overcoming grafting incompatibility

[0211] Grafting incompatibility' within the Solanaceae family, especially in intergeneric combinations, is a well-documented phenomenon (see tor example Table 12 and Goldschmidt E. E. “Plant grafting: new mechanisms, evolutionary implications” Frontiers in Plant Science, 2014 Vol. 5:727; Thomas H„ et al., ‘’Anatomical and biophysical basis for graft incompatibility within the Solanaceae” J. of Exp. Botany, Vol, 74: 15, pp. 4461-4470, 2023; Thomas H. et ai., “Graft incompatibility between pepper and tomato elicits an immune response and triggers localized ceil death” Hort. Research, 202.4, 11). Despite the close taxonomic relationships among species like tomato (Solarium lycopersicum}, pepper (Capsicum annuum}, eggplant (Solarium melongena}, and groundcherry (Physalis pubescens}, many grafts fail due to several key biological and physiological factors, including lack of vascular reconnection, autoimmune responses, necrotic tissue formation at the graft site, delayed incompatibility due to a gradual breakdown of the graft union or poor vascular integration, and mismatched ceil signaling between scion and rootstock cells.Table 12: Grafting incompatibility within Solanaceae

[0212] The ailotetrapioid rootstocks and composite plants described herein are well suited to overcome some of the incompatibilities discussed above. For example, because the ailotetrapioid rootstock may be comprised of a wild species or landrace accessions with a cultivated variety, there is less genetic distance / divergence between scion and rootstock, and the greater root and stem size may provide better vascular connection and growth.

[0213] The foregoing examples of the related art and limitations related therewith are intended to be illustrative and not exclusive. Other limitations of the related art will become apparent to those of skill in the art upon a reading of the specification.NUMBERED EMBODIMENTSEggplant embodiments1 . A method for producing a composite eggplant with tolerance against at least one abiotic or biotic stress, comprising:(i) selecting a first eggplant variety which is stress-tolerant against at least one abiotic or biotic stress;(ri) crossing said first eggplant variety with a second eggplant variety of a different species sexually compatible with the first eggplant variety to produce an interspecific hybrid seed;(iii) growing the interspecific hybrid seed to produce an interspecific hybrid eggplant;(iv) applying a chromosome doubling treatment to the interspecific hybrid plant, or a part thereof, to generate a chimeric interspecific hybrid eggplant;(v) collecting seed from an ailotetrapioid fruit of said chimeric interspecific hybrid plant;(vi) growing the seed to produce an ailotetrapioid eggplant rootstock plant with tolerance against at least one abiotic or biotic stress and, optionally, further propagating said plant; and(vii) grafting a scion of a cultivated eggplant variety to the ailotetrapioid eggplant rootstock to produce a composite eggplant with tolerance against at least one abiotic or biotic stress.2. A method for producing a composite eggplant with tolerance against at least one abiotic or biotic stress, comprising:(i) selecting a first eggplant variety which is stress-tolerant against at least one abiotic or biotic stress;(ii) fusing a protoplast isolated from said first eggplant variety' with another protoplast isolated from an eggplant variety sexually incompatible with the first eggplant variety;(iii) selecting a heterokary on;(iv) regenerating an allotetraploid eggplant rootstock plant with tolerance against at least one abiotic or biotic stress from the heterokaryon; and, optionally, further propagating said plant; and(v) grafting a scion of a cultivated eggplant variety to the allotetraploid eggplant rootstock to produce a composite eggplant with tolerance against at least one abiotic or biotic stress. A method for producing a stress-tolerant hybrid allopolyploid eggplant or seed, comprising:(i) selecting a first eggplant variety which is stress-tolerant against at least one abiotic or biotic stress;(ii) crossing said first eggplant variety with a second eggplant variety of a different species sexually compatible with the first eggplant variety' to produce an interspecific hybrid seed;(iii) growing tire interspecific hybrid seed to produce an interspecific hybrid eggplant;(iv) applying a chromosome doubling treatment to the interspecific hybrid plant, or a part thereof, to generate a chimeric interspecific hybrid eggplant;(v) collecting seed from an allotetraploid fruit of said chimeric interspecific hy brid plant;(vi) growing the seed to produce a first allotetraploid eggplant with tolerance against at least one abiotic or biotic stress and, optionally, further propagating said plant;(vi i) crossing the first allotetraploid eggplant with a second allotetraploid eggplant to produce hybrid allopolyploid seed;(viii) harvesting the hybrid allopolyploid seed; and(ix) optionally growing the hybrid allopolyploid seed to produce a stress-tolerant hybrid allopolyploid eggplant, A method for producing a stress-tolerant hybrid allopolyploid eggplant, comprising:(i) selecting a first eggplant variety which is stress-tolerant against at least one abiotic or biotic stress;(ii) fusing a protoplast isolated from said first eggplant variety' with another protoplast isolated from a second eggplant variety sexually incompatible with the first eggplant variety- to produce a heterokaryon;(iii) regenerating a first aliotetraploid eggplant from the heterokaryon;(iv) Rising a protoplast isolated from the first aliotetraploid eggplant with another protoplast isolated from a second aliotetraploid eggplant to a produce hybrid allopolyploid heterokaryon; and(v) regenerating a hybrid allopolyploid eggplant from the hy brid allopolyploid heterokaryon to produce a stress-tolerant hybrid allopolyploid eggplant. A method for producing a composite eggplant with tolerance against at least one abiotic or biotic stress, comprising:(i) providing a hybrid allopolyploid eggplant produced by the method of embodiment 3 or 4 as a rootstock; and(ii) grafting a scion of a cultivated eggplant variety to the aliotetraploid eggplant rootstock to produce a composite eggplant with tolerance against at least one abiotic or biotic stress. The method of embodiment lor 3, wherein the part thereof is a vegetative cutting. The method of embodiment 3 or 4, wherein the second aliotetraploid eggplant exhibits at least one tolerance against at least one abiotic or biotic stress which is not present m the first allopolyploid eggplant. The method of embodiment 1, 2, or 5, wherein the cultivated eggplant is an inbred or essentially homozygous. The method of embodiment 1 , 2, or 5, wherein the cultivated eggplant is a hybrid. The method of any one of embodiments 1 -5, wherein the first eggplant variety is a wild variety. The method of any one of embodiments 1-5, wherein the first or second eggplant variety is a landrace variety. The method of any one of embodiments 1-5, wherein the first eggplant is a wild variety and the second eggplant variety is a cultivated variety. The method of any one of embodiments 1-5, wherein the first eggplant is a landrace variety and the second eggplant variety is a cultivated variety.The method of any one of embodiments 1 -5, wherein the first or second eggplant variety is an Fi hybrid. The method of embodiment 1, 2 or 5, wherein the scion is a commercial eggplant variety. The method of any one of embodiments 1 -5, wherein the first or second eggplant variety has an abiotic stress tolerance selected from the group consisting of cold tolerance, high temperature tolerance, drought tolerance, and salt tolerance. The method of any one of embodiments 1-5, wherein the first or second eggplant variety has a biotic stress tolerance selected from the group consisting of a disease resistance, a pest resistance, a bacterial resistance, a fungal resistance, an insect resistance, and a nematode resistance. The method of any one of embodiments 1-5, wherein the first eggplant variety has a different biotic or abiotic stress tolerance than the second eggplant variety. The method of any one of embodiments 1, 2 or 5, wherein the cultivated eggplant variety' used as scion is less tolerant against at least one biotic or abiotic stress in comparison to the allotetraploid eggplant rootstock. The method of embodiment 2. or 4, wherein the protoplast fusion is asymmetrical and mitochondria are only' provided by a cultivated eggplant variety' to generate the first allotetraploid plant. A hybrid allopoly ploid eggplant or plant part with tolerance against at least one abiotic or biotic stress, comprising:(i) at least one chromosome from each of a first and a second eggplant variety, wherein the second eggplant variety exhibits at least one tolerance against at least one abiotic or biotic stress which is not present m said first eggplant variety; and(ii) at least one chromosome for a cultivated eggplant variety of a species different from said first and second eggplant varieties. The hybrid allopolyploid eggplant of embodiment 21 , wherein said plant is produced by the method of embodiment 3 or 4. The hybrid allopolyploid eggplant part of embodiment 21, wherein said plant part is a seed. A composite eggplant with tolerance against at least one abiotic or biotic stress, said composite eggplant comprising:(i) as a rootstock the hybrid allotetraploid eggplant of any one of embodiments 21- 23; and(ii) as a scion a cultivated eggplant variety. A composite eggplant with tolerance against at least one abiotic or biotic stress, said composite eggplant comprising:(i) as a rootstock an allotetraploid eggplant comprising i , at least one chromosome from a wild or landrace eggplant variety which exhibits at least one tolerance against at least one abiotic or biotic stress; and ii. at least one chromosome from a cultivated eggplant variety(ii) as a scion a cultivated eggplant variety, The composite eggplant of embodiment 25, wherein said composite eggplant is produced by the method of embodiment 1 or 2. The composite eggplant of any of embodiment 24-26, wherein said composite eggplant has a higher tolerance against at least one biotic or abiotic stress in comparison to the cultivated eggplant variety used a scion when grown under the same conditions without the allotetraploid rootstock. The method of any one of embodiments 1-20, the hybrid allopolyploid eggplant or plant part of any one of embodiments 21-23, or the composite eggplant of any one of embodiments 24-27, wherein the first or second eggplant variety are selected from S. melongena var, agreste, S. melongena var. album, S. melongena var, divaricatum, S. melongena var. e scule ntum, S. melongena var. giganteum, S. melongena var. globosi, S. melongena var. inerme, S. melongena var. insanum, S. melongena var. leucoum, S. melongena var. luteum, S. melongena var. multifidum, S. melongena var. oblongo- cylindricum. S. melongena var. ovigera, S. melongena var, racemiflorum, S. melongena var. racemosum, S. melongena var. ruber. S. melongena var. rumphii, S. melongena var. sinuatorepandum, S. melongena var. stenoleucum, S. melongena var. subrepandum, S. melongena var. tongdongense, S. melongena var. variegatum, S. melongena var. violaceum, and S. melongena var. viride. The method of any one of embodiments 1-20, the hybrid allopolyploid eggplant or plant part of any one of embodiments 21-23, or the composite eggplant of any one of embodiments 24-27, wherein the first eggplant variety is Solarium melongena or a subspecies thereof, and the second eggplant variety is selected from Solanum aculeastrum, Solanum aculeatissimum, Solanum aethiopicum, Solanum agnewiorum.Solanum anguivi. Solanum aureitomentosum, Solarium beaugleholei, Solarium bonariense, Solanum breviandrum, Solanum burchellii, Solanum campanulatum, Solanum campylacanthum, Solanum campechiense, Solanum capsicoides, Solanum capense, Solanum carolinense, Solanum catombelense, Solanum cerasiferum, Solanum chacoense, Solanum chippendalei, Solanum chrysotrichum. Solarium cinereum, Solanum dtrulhfolium, Solarium clarkiae, Solanum cleistogamum, Solanum coccineum, Solanum coagulans, Solanum cristti-gallii, Solanum cumingii, Solanum cyaneopurpureum, Solanum dasyphyllum, Solanum dennekense, Solanum dinteri, Solanum dioicum, Solanum dimidiatum, Solanum diversiflorum, Solanum elaeagnijblium. Solanum ferox, Solanum forskalh, Solanum fiirfuraceum, Solanum giganteum, Solanum giftbergense, Solanum glabratum, Solanum goetzii, Solanum grandifolium, Solanum hastifolium, Solanum heinianum, Solanum helerodoxum, Solanum hispidum, Solanum hindsianum, Solanum incanum, Solanum indicum, Solanum insanum, Solanum lasiocarpum. Solanum lanzae, Solanum lidii. Solanum lichtensteinii, Solanum linnaeanum, Solanum luteum, Solanum macrocarpon, Solanum mahoriensis, Solanum malacoxylon, Solanum mammosum, Solanum marginaium, Solanum megacarpum, Solanum melanospermum, Solanum multiflorum. Solanum myoxotrichum, Solanum nigrum, Solanum nigrum var vescum, Solanum palmeri. Solanum perfoliatum, Solanum phlomoides, Solanum platacanthum, Solanum polhillii, Solanum pubescens, Solanum pyracanthos, Solanum quitoense, Solanum rantonnetii, Solanum richardii. Solanum rigescens, Solanum ngescentoides, Solanum ngidum, Solanum rostratum, Solanum rubetorum, Solanum scabrum, Solanum schimperianum, Solanum sessilistellatum, Solanum sisymbrilfolium, Solanum sodomaeum, Solanum stipulaceum, Solanum supinum, Solanum tetrandrum, Solanum toliaraea, Solanum tomentosum, Solanum torvum, Solanum tridynamum, Solanum trilobatum, Solanum tudununggae, Solanum umtuma, Solanum usambarense, Solanum vespertilio, Solanum villosum, Solanum viarum, Solanum violaceum, Solanum virginianum. Solanum xanthocarpum, and Solanum zanzibarense. The method of any one of embodiments 1-20, the hybrid allopolyploid eggplant or plant part of any one of embodiments 21-23, or the composite eggplant of any one of embodiments 24-27, wherein the first eggplant variety is Solanum melongena or a subspecies thereof and the second eggplant variety is Solanum aethiopicum. The method of any one of embodiments 1 -20, the hybrid allopolyploid eggplant or plant part of any one of embodiments 21-23, or the composite eggplant of any one ofembodiments 24-27. wherein the first variety is Solanum melongena or a subspecies thereof and the second variety is Solanum torvum. The method of any one of embodiments 1-20, the hybrid allopolyploid eggplant or plant part of any one of embodiments 21 -23, or the composite eggplant of any one of embodiments 24-27, wherein the first variety is Solanum melongena or a subspecies thereof and the second variety is Solanum insanum. The method of any one of embodiments 1-20, the hybrid allopolyploid eggplant or plant part of any one of embodiments 21-23, or the composite eggplant of any one of embodiments 24-27, wherein the first variety is Solanum melongena or a subspecies thereof and the second variety is Solanum dasyphyllum. The method of any one of embodiments 1 -20, the hybrid allopolyploid eggplant or plant part of any one of embodiments 21-23, or the composite eggplant of any one of embodiments 24-27, wherein the first variety is Solanum melongena or a subspecies thereof and the second variety is Solanum lichtensteinii. The method of any one of embodiments 1-20, the hybrid allopolyploid eggplant or plant part of any one of embodiments 21-23, or the composite eggplant of any one of embodiments 24-27, wherein the first variety is Solanum melongena or a subspecies thereof and the second variety is Solanum linnaeanum. The composite eggplant of any one of embodiments 24-27, wherein the scion is a globe eggplant. The composite eggplant of any one of embodiments 24-27, wherein the scion is an Italian eggplant. The composite eggplant of any one of embodiments 24-27, wherein the scion is a Japanese eggplant. The composite eggplant of any one of embodiments 24-27, wherein the scion is a Chinese eggplant. The composite eggplant of any one of embodiments 24-27, wherein the scion is a Thai eggplant. The composite eggplant of any one of embodiments 24-27, wherein the scion is an Indian eggplant. The composite eggplant of any one of embodiments 24-27, wherein the scion is a fairy tale eggplant. The composite eggplant of any one of embodiments 24-27, wherein the scion is a graffiti eggplant.The composite eggplant of any one of embodiments 24-27, wherein the scion is a white eggplant. The composite eggplant of any one of embodiments 24-27, wherein the scion is a variety selected from the group consisting of: S. melongena var. agreste, S. melongena var. album, S. melongena var. divaricatum, S. melongena var. esculentum, S. melongena var. giganteum, S. melongena var. globosi. S. melongena var. inerme, S. melongena var. insanum, S. melongena var. leucoum, S. melongena var. luteum, S. melongena var. midtifidum, S. melongena var. oblongo-cylindricum, S. melongena var. ovigera, S. melongena var. racemiflorumt, S. melongena var. racemosum, S. melongena var. ruber, S. melongena var. rumphii, S. melongena var. sinuatorepandum, S. melongena var. stenoleucum, S. melongena var. subrepandum, S. melongena var. longdongense, S. melongena var. variegation, S. melongena var. violaceum, and 5’. melongena var. vmde. A commodity plant product produced from the hybrid allopolyploid eggplant or plant part of any one of embodiments 21-23, or the composite eggplant of any one of embodiments 24-27. The commodity plant product of embodiment 46, wherein the plant product is an eggplant fruit. The commodity plant product of embodiment 46, wherein the plant product is a seed. lire eggplant fruit of embodiment 47, wherein the eggplant fruit has an improved output trait compared to the same variety grown without grafting to a rootstock or grafting to a different rootstock. The eggplant fruit of embodiment 49, wherein the eggplant fruit output trait is selected from the group consisting of: increased sweetness, increased shelf-life, larger fruit size, improved flavor, improved texture, improved color, increased nutrient content, altered nutrient profile, or a combination thereof lire eggplant fruit of embodiment 50, wherein the eggplant fruit has an increased nutrient content selected from potassium, copper, vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin K, vitamin B6, vitamin Bl , niacin, fiber, protein, magnesium, manganese, polyphenols, and combinations thereof. The composite eggplant of any one of embodiments 24-27 or 36-45, wherein the rootstock comprises at least one allele from the scion variety.A chimeric plant tissue comprising a first plant cell and a second plant cell, wherein the first plant cell is an allopolyploid comprising chromosomes of a first and a second eggplant variety and, and wherein the second plant cell is a cultivated eggplant variety. A method for producing a composite eggplant with an improved agronomic trait, comprising: selecting first and second eggplants having one or more desirable traits; generating an interspecific hybrid plant from said first and second eggplants; applying a chromosome doubling treatment to the interspecific hybrid plant, or a part thereof, to generate a chimeric interspecific hybrid eggplant; collecting seed from an allotetraploid fruit of said chimeric interspecific hybrid plant; growing the seed to produce an allotetraploid eggplant rootstock plant with one or more desirable traits and, optionally, further propagating said plant, and grafting a scion to the allotetraploid eggplant rootstock to produce a composite eggplant, wherein the scion is a commercial eggplant variety, and wherein a fruit or vegetable harvested from the scion has an improved agronomic trait compared to the same variety grown without the allotetraploid eggplant rootstock. The method of embodiment 54, wherein the first and second eggplants are sexually compatible and the generating an interspecific hybrid plant is achieved via crossing. lire method of embodiment 54, wherein the first and second eggplants are sexually incompatible and the generating an interspecific hybrid plant is achieved via protoplast fusion. The method of embodiment 54, wherein the improved agronomic trait is increased sweetness, increased shelf-life, larger fruit size, improved flavor, improved texture, improved color, increased nutrient content, altered nutrient profile, or a combination thereof. A composite plant comprising the hybrid allopolyploid eggplant of any one of embodiments 21-23, or an allotetraploid eggplant described herein as the rootstock, and a scion comprising chromosomes from a different genus. A composite plant comprising the hybrid allopolyploid eggplant of any one of embodiments 21-23, or an allotetraploid eggplant described herein as the scion, and a rootstock comprising chromosomes from a different genus.A plant, plant part, or plant cell of an eggplant variety designated ‘ME 23-15’, wherein seed of said eggplant variety has also been deposited under NCMA No. XXXXXXXXX. The eggplant plant part of embodiment 59, wherein the part is selected from the group consisting of a seed, leaf, a flower, a fruit, a stalk, a root, a rootstock, a scion, a meristem, and a ceil. The plant part of embodiment 60, wherein the plant part is a rootstock. A tissue culture of regenerable cells produced from the eggplant plant, plant part, or plant cell of embodiment 59. An eggplant plant regenerated from the tissue culture of embodiment 62, said plant having all the physiological and morphological characteristics of eggplant variety designated ‘ME 23-15’ deposited under NCMA No. XXXXXXXXX, when grown under the same environmental conditions. A method for harvesting an eggplant fruit, the method comprising: (a) growing the eggplant plant of embodiment 59 to produce an eggplant fruit, and (b) harvesting said eggplant fruit. A method for producing an eggplant seed, the method comprising: (a) crossing a first eggplant plant with a second eggplant plant and (b) harvesting the resultant eggplant seed, wherein said first eggplant plant and / or second eggplant plant is the eggplant plant of embodiment 59. A method of vegetatively propagating eggplant variety designated ‘ME 23-15’, the method comprising: (a) collecting a part capable of being propagated from the plant of embodiment 59 and (b) regenerating a plant from said part. The method of embodiment 66, further comprising (c) harvesting a fruit from said regenerated plant, A plant obtained by the method of embodiment 66, wherein said plant has all of the physiological and morphological characteristics of eggplant designated ‘ME 23-15' deposited under NCMA No. XXXXXXXXX. An eggplant fruit produced by the method of embodiment 67. A method of producing an eggplant plant obtained from eggplant variety designated ‘ME 23-15’, the method comprising: (a) growing the seed produced by the method of embodiment 65 to obtain a progeny eggplant plant, The method of embodiment 70, further comprising the steps of:(b) crossing the progeny eggplant plant obtained from step (a) with itself or a second eggplant plant to produce a progeny seed of a subsequent generation;(c) growing the progeny seed of the subsequent generation to produce a progeny plant of a subsequent generation; and(d) crossing the progeny plant of a subsequent generation with itself or a second eggplant plant to produce an eggplant seed of a further subsequent generation. The method of embodiment 71 , further comprising: (e) repeating steps (c) and (d) at least once to produce an eggplant plant further derived from eggplant variety designated ‘ME 23-15’. The plant, plant part, or plant cell of embodiment 59, further comprising a single locus conversion and otherwise all of the essential morphological and physiological characteristics of eggplant variety designated ‘ME 23-15’ deposited under NCMA No. XXXXXXXXX, when grown under the same environmental conditions. The plant, plant part, or plant cell of embodiment 73, wherein the single locus conversion confers said plant with male sterility, male fertility, herbicide resistance, insect resistance, disease resistance, water stress tolerance, heat tolerance, improved standability, enhanced plant vigor, improved shelf life, delayed senescence or controlled ripening, and / or increased nutritional quality. The plant, plant part, or plant cell of embodiment 73, wherein the single locus conversion is an artificially mutated gene or a nucleotide sequence. The plant, plant part, or plant cell of embodiment 73, wherein the single locus conversion is introduced into the plant by a genetic transformation or a gene editing technique with a nuclease selected from the group consisting of Zinc finger nuclease (ZFN), Transcription Activation-Like Effector Nuclease (TALEN), Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats-associated Cas endonuclease (CRISPR-Cas), meganuclease, homing endonuclease, and RNA-guided nuclease. A method of producing a composite eggplant plant, the method comprising: grafting a rootstock or a scion of the eggplant plant of embodiment 59 to another eggplant plant. A method tor producing nucleic acids, the method comprising: isolating nucleic acids from the plant, plant part or plant cell of embodiment 59. A method of producing a commodity plant product, the method comprising: obtaining the plant, plant part, or plant cell of embodiment 59 and producing said commodity plant product therefrom.A method for producing a hybrid allotetraploid eggplant plant, comprising: crossing eggplant variety designated ‘ME 23-15’ with a second allotetraploid eggplant plant to produce hybrid allotetraploid eggplant seed; collecting the hybrid allotetraploid eggplant seed; and growing the hybrid allotetraploid eggplant seed to produce a hybrid allotetraploid eggplant plant. A composite plant, wherein the rootstock of the composite plant is eggplant variety- designated ‘ME 23-15’, wherein seed of said eggplant variety has also been deposited under NCMA No. XXXXXXXXX. A plant, plant part, or plant cell of an eggplant variety designated ‘ME 23-16’, wherein seed of said eggplant variety has also been deposited under NCMA No. XXXXXXXXX. The eggplant plant part of embodiment 82, wherein the part is selected from the group consisting of a seed, leaf, a flower, a fruit, a stalk, a root, a rootstock, a scion, a meristem, and a cell. The plant part, of embodiment 83, wherein the plant part is a rootstock. A tissue culture of regenerable cells produced from the eggplant plant, plant part, or plant cell of embodiment 82. An eggplant plant regenerated from the tissue culture of embodiment 85, said plant having ail the physiological and morphological characteristics of eggplant variety designated ‘ME 23-16’ deposited under NCMA No. XXXXXXXXX, when grown under the same environmental conditions. A method for harvesting an eggplant fruit, the method comprising: (a) growing the eggplant plant of embodiment 82 to produce an eggplant fruit, and (b) harvesting said eggplant fruit. A method for producing an eggplant seed, the method comprising: (a) crossing a first eggplant plant with a second eggplant plant and (b) harvesting the resultant eggplant seed, wherein said first eggplant plant and / or second eggplant plant is the eggplant plant of embodiment 82. A method of vegetatively propagating eggplant variety designated ‘ME 23-16’, the method comprising: (a) collecting a part capable of being propagated from the plant of embodiment 82 and (b) regenerating a plant from said part. The method of embodiment 89, further comprising (c) harvesting a fruit from said regenerated plant,A plant obtained by the method of embodiment 89, wherein said plant has all of the physiological and morphological characteristics of eggplant designated ‘ME 23-16’ deposited under NCMANo. XXXXXXXXX. An eggplant fruit produced by the method of embodiment 90. A method of producing an eggplant plant obtained from eggplant variety designated ‘ME 23-16’, the method comprising: (a) growing the seed produced by the method of embodiment 89 to obtain a progeny eggplant plant. The method of embodiment 93, further comprising the steps of:(b) crossing the progeny eggplant plant obtained from step (a) with itself or a second eggplant plant to produce a progeny seed of a subsequent generation;(c) growing the progeny seed of the subsequent generation to produce a progeny plant of a subsequent generation; and(d) crossing the progeny plant of a subsequent generation with itself or a second eggplant plant to produce an eggplant seed of a further subsequent generation. The method of embodiment 94, further comprising: (e) repeating steps (c) and (d) at least once to produce an eggplant plant further derived from eggplant variety designated ‘ME 23-16’. The plant, plant part, or plant cell of embodiment 82, further comprising a single locus conversion and otherwise all of the essential morphological and physiological characteristics of eggplant variety designated ‘ME 23-16’ deposited under NCMA bio. XXXXXXXXX, when grown under the same environmental conditions. The plant, plant part, or plant cell of embodiment 96, wherein the single locus conversion confers said plant with male sterility, male fertility, herbicide resistance, insect resistance, disease resistance, water stress tolerance, heat tolerance, improved standability-; enhanced plant vigor, improved shelf life, delayed senescence or controlled ripening, and / or increased nutritional quality. The plant, plant part, or plant cell of embodiment 96, wherein the single locus conversion is an artificially' mutated gene or a nucleotide sequence. The plant, plant part, or plant cell of embodiment 96, wherein the single locus conversion is introduced into the plant by a genetic transformation or a gene editing technique with a nuclease selected from the group consisting of Zinc finger nuclease (ZFN), Transcription Activation -Like Effector Nuclease (TALEN), Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats-associated Cas endonuclease (CRISPR-Cas), meganuclease, homing endonuclease, and RNA-guided nuclease.00. A method of producing a composite eggplant plant, the method comprising: grafting a rootstock or a scion of the eggplant plant of embodiment 82 to another eggplant plant. 01. A method for producing nucleic acids, the method comprising: isolating nucleic acids from the plant, plant part or plant cell of embodiment 82. 02. A method of producing a commodity plant product, the method comprising: obtaining the plant, plant part, or plant cell of embodiment 82 and producing said commodity plant product therefrom, 03. A method for producing a hybrid allotetraploid eggplant plant, comprising: crossing eggplant variety designated ‘ME 23-16’ with a second allotetraploid eggplant plant to produce hybrid allotetraploid eggplant seed: collecting the hybrid allotetraploid eggplant seed; and growing the hybrid allotetraploid eggplant seed to produce a hybrid allotetraploid eggplant plant. 04. A composite plant, wherein the rootstock of the composite plant is eggplant variety- designated ‘ME 23-16’, wherein seed of said eggplant variety has also been deposited under NCMA No. XXXXXXXXX.Pepper embodiments , A method for producing a composite pepper plant with tolerance against at least one abiotic or biotic stress, comprising:(i) selecting a first pepper variety which is stress-tolerant against at least one abiotic or biotic stress;(ti) crossing said first pepper variety with a second pepper variety of a different species sexually compatible with the first pepper variety to produce an interspecific hybrid seed;(iii) growing the interspecific hybrid seed to produce an interspecific hybrid pepper;(iv) applying a chromosome doubling treatment to the interspecific hybrid plant, or a part thereof, to generate a chimeric interspecific hybrid pepper;(v) collecting seed from an allotetraploid fruit of said chimeric interspecific hybrid plant;(vi) growing the seed to produce an allotetraploid pepper rootstock plant with tolerance against at least one abiotic or biotic stress and, optionally, further propagating said plant; and(vis) grafting a scion of a cultivated pepper variety to the allotetraploid pepper rootstock to produce a composite pepper plant with tolerance against at least one abiotic or biotic stress. A method for producing a composite pepper plant with tolerance against at least one abiotic or biotic stress, comprising:(i) selecting a first pepper variety which is stress-tolerant against at least one abiotic or biotic stress;(ii) fusing a protoplast isolated from said first pepper variety with another protoplast isolated from a pepper variety sexually incompatible with the first pepper variety;(lii) selecting a heterokaryon;(iv) regenerating an allotetraploid pepper rootstock plant with tolerance against at least one abiotic or biotic stress from the heterokaryon; and, optionally, further propagating said plant; and(v) grafting a scion of a cultivated pepper variety to the allotetraploid pepper rootstock to produce a composite pepper plant with tolerance against at least one abiotic or biotic stress. A method for producing a stress-tolerant hybrid allopolyploid pepper plant or seed, comprising:(i) selecting a first pepper variety which is stress-tolerant against at least one abiotic or biotic stress;(ii) crossing said first pepper variety with a second pepper variety of a different species sexually compatible with the first pepper variety to produce an interspecific hybrid seed;(lii) growing the interspecific hybrid seed to produce an interspecific hybrid pepper;(iv) applying a chromosome doubling treatment to the interspecific hybrid plant, or a part thereof, to generate a chimeric interspecific hybrid pepper;(v) collecting seed from an allotetraploid fruit of said chimeric interspecific hybrid plant;(vi) growing the seed to produce a first allotetraploid pepper with tolerance against at least one abiotic or biotic stress and, optionally, further propagating said plant;(vii) crossing the first allotetraploid pepper with a second allotetraploid pepper to produce hybrid allopolyploid seed;(viii) harvesting the hybrid allopolyploid seed; and(ix) optionally growing the hybrid allopolyploid seed to produce a stress-tolerant hybrid allopolyploid pepper plant. A method for producing a stress-tolerant hybrid allopolyploid pepper plant, comprising:(i) selecting a first pepper variety which is stress-tolerant against at least one abiotic or biotic stress;(ii) fusing a protoplast isolated from said first pepper variety with another protoplast isolated from a second pepper variety sexually incompatible with the first pepper variety to produce a heterokaryon;(iii) regenerating a first allotetrapioid pepper from the heterokaryon;(iv) fusing a protoplast isolated from the first allotetraploid pepper with another protoplast isolated from a second allotetraploid pepper to a produce hybrid allopolyploid heterokaryon; and(v) regenerating a hybrid allopolyploid pepper plant from the hybrid allopolyploid heterokaryon to produce a stress-tolerant hybrid allopolyploid pepper plant. A method for producing a composite pepper plant with tolerance against at least one abiotic or biotic stress, comprising:(i) providing a hybrid allopolyploid pepper plant produced by the method of embodiment 3 or 4 as a rootstock; and(ii) grafting a scion of a cultivated pepper variety to the allotetraploid pepper rootstock to produce a composite pepper plant with tolerance against at least one abiotic or biotic stress. The method of embodiment 1 or 3, wherein the part thereof is a vegetative cutting. The method of embodiment 3 or 4, wherein the second allotetraploid pepper exhibits at least one tolerance against at least one abiotic or biotic stress which is not present in the first allopolyploid pepper plant. Hie method of embodiment 1, 2, or 5, wherein the cultivated pepper is an inbred or essentially homozygous. The method of embodiment 1, 2, or 5, wherein the cultivated pepper is a hybrid. The method of any one of embodiments 1-5, wherein the first pepper variety is a wild variety. The method of any one of embodiments 1-5, wherein the first or second pepper variety is a landrace variety.The method of any one of embodiments 1 -5, wherein the first pepper is a wild variety and the second pepper variety is a cultivated variety. The method of any one of embodiments 1-5, wherein the first pepper is a landrace variety and the second pepper variety is a cultivated variety. The method of any one of embodiments 1-5, wherein the first or second pepper variety is an Fi hybrid. The method of embodiment 1, 2 or 5, wherein the scion is a commercial pepper variety’. The method of any one of embodiments 1 -5, wherein the first or second pepper variety has an abiotic stress tolerance selected from the group consisting of cold tolerance, high temperature tolerance, drought tolerance, and salt tolerance. The method of any one of embodiments 1-5, wherein the first or second pepper variety has a biotic stress tolerance selected from the group consisting of a disease resistance, a pest resistance, a bacterial resistance, a fungal resistance, an insect resistance, and a nematode resistance. The method of any one of embodiments 1 -5, wherein the first pepper variety has a different biotic or abiotic stress tolerance than the second pepper variety. The method of any one of embodiments 1, 2 or 5, wherein the cultivated pepper variety used as scion is less tolerant against at least one biotic or abiotic stress in comparison to the allotetraploid pepper rootstock. lire method of embodiment 2 or 4, wherein the protoplast fusion is asymmetrical and mitochondria are only provided by a cultivated pepper variety to generate the first allotetraploid plant. A hybrid allopolyploid pepper plant or plant part with tolerance against at least one abiotic or biotic stress, comprising:(i) at least one chromosome from each of a first and a second pepper variety, w herein the second pepper variety exhibits at least one tolerance against at least one abiotic or biotic stress which is not present in said first pepper variety: and(ii) at least one chromosome for a cultivated pepper variety of a species different from said first and second pepper varieties. The hybrid allopolyploid pepper plant of embodiment 21, wherein said plant is produced by the method of embodiment 3 or 4. The hybrid allopolyploid pepper plant part of embodiment 21 , wherein said plant part is a seed.A composite pepper plant with tolerance against at least one abiotic or biotic stress, said composite pepper plant comprising:(i) as a rootstock the hybrid allotetraploid pepper of any one of embodiments 21- 23; and(ii) as a scion a cultivated pepper variety. A composite pepper plant with tolerance against at least one abiotic or biotic stress, said composite pepper plant comprising:(i) as a rootstock an allotetraploid pepper comprising i. at least one chromosome from a wild or landrace Pepper variety which exhibits at least one tolerance against at least one abiotic or biotic stress; and ii. at least one chromosome from a cultivated pepper variety(ii) as a scion a cultivated pepper variety. The composite pepper plant of embodiment 25, wherein said composite pepper plant is produced by the method of embodiment 1 or 2. The composite pepper plant of any of embodiment 24-26, wherein said composite pepper plant has a higher tolerance against at least one biotic or abiotic stress in comparison to the cultivated pepper variety' used a scion when grown under the same conditions without the allotetraploid rootstock. Hie method of any one of embodiments 1-20, the hybrid allopolyploid pepper plant or plant part of any one of embodiments 2.1 -23, or the composite pepper plant of any one of embodiments 24-27, wherein the first or second pepper variety are selected from Capsicum annuum, Capsicum chinense, Capsicum baccatum, Capsicum frutescens, and Capsicum pubescens . The method of any one of embodiments 1-20, the hybrid allopolyploid pepper plant or plant part of any one of embodiments 21-23, or the composite pepper plant of any one of embodiments 24-27, wherein the first or second pepper variety are selected from Capsicum cardenasii, Capsicum chacoense, Capsicum flexuosum, Capsicum eximium, Capsicum rhomboideum, Capsicum galapagoense, and Capsicum tovarii. The method of any one of embodiments 1-20, the hybrid allopolyploid pepper plant or plant part of any one of embodiments 21-23, or the composite pepper plant of any one of embodiments 2.4-27, wherein the first pepper variety is Capsicum annuum, or hybrid thereof, and the second pepper variety is selected from Capsicum chinense, Capsicum baccatum, Capsicum frutescens, Capsicum pubescens, Capsicum cardenasii. Capsicumchacoense, Capsicum flexuosum, Capsicum eximium, Capsicum rhomboideum, Capsicum galapagoense, Capsicum tovarii and hybrids thereof. The method of any one of embodiments 1 -20, the hybrid allopolyploid pepper plant or plant part of any one of embodiments 21-23, or the composite pepper plant of any one of embodiments 24-27, wherein the first pepper variety is selected from a bell pepper, a cayenne pepper, a friggitello pepper, a jalapeno pepper, a paprika pepper, a serrano pepper, or an Anaheim pepper. The method of any one of embodiments 1-20, the hybrid allopolyploid pepper plant or plant part of any one of embodiments 21-23, or the composite pepper plant of any one of embodiments 24-27, wherein the first or second pepper variety is selected from Capsicum, annuum var. glabriusculum, Capsicum, cardenasii, Capsicum chacoense, Capsicum eximium. Capsicum flexuosum, Capsicum galapagoense, Capsicum rabenii. Capsicum rhomboideum, and Capsicum tovarii. The composite pepper plant of any one of embodiments 24-27, wherein the scion is a sweet pepper variety. The composite pepper plant of any one of embodiments 24-27, wherein the scion is a hot pepper variety . The composite pepper plant of any one of embodiments 24-27, wherein the scion is a bell pepper variety. The composite pepper plant of any one of embodiments 24-27, wherein the scion is a cayenne pepper variety. The composite pepper plant of any one of embodiments 24-27, wherein the scion is a friggitello pepper variety. The composite pepper plant of any one of embodiments 24-27, wherein the scion is a jalapeno pepper variety; The composite pepper plant of any one of embodiments 24-27, wherein the scion is a paprika pepper variety. The composite pepper plant of any one of embodiments 24-27, wherein the scion is a serrano pepper variety. The composite pepper plant of any one of embodiments 24-27, wherein the scion is an Anaheim pepper variety. A commodity plant product produced from the hybrid allopolyploid pepper plant or plant part of any one of embodiments 21-23, or the composite pepper plant of any one of embodiments 24-27.The commodity plant product of embodiment 42, wherein the plant product is a pepper fruit. The commodity plant product of embodiment 42, wherein the plant product is a seed. The pepper fruit of embodiment 43, wherein the pepper fruit has an improved output trait compared to the same variety grown without grafting to a rootstock or grafting to a different rootstock. The pepper fruit of embodiment 45, wherein the pepper fruit output trait is selected from the group consisting of: increased sweetness, increased shelf-life, larger fruit size, improved flavor, improved texture, improved color, increased nutrient content, altered nutrient profile, or a combination thereof The pepper fruit of embodiment 46, wherein the pepper fruit has an increased nutrient content selected from vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin K, potassium, vitamin B6, niacin, foiate, magnesium, beta-carotene, riboflavin, iron, and combinations thereof. The composite pepper plant of any one of embodiments 24-27 or 33-41 , wherein the rootstock comprises at least one allele from the scion variety. A chimeric plant tissue comprising a first plant cell and a second plant cell, wherein the first plant cell is an allopolyploid comprising chromosomes of a first and a second pepper variety and, and wherein the second plant cell is a cultivated pepper variety. A method for producing a composite pepper plant with an improved agronomic trait, comprising: selecting first and second peppers having one or more desirable traits; generating an interspecific hybrid plant from said first and second peppers; applying a chromosome doubling treatment to the interspecific hybrid plant, or a part thereof, to generate a chimeric interspecific hybrid pepper; collecting seed from an allotetraploid fruit of said chimeric interspecific hybrid plant; growing the seed to produce an allotetraploid pepper rootstock plant with one or more desirable trai ts and, optionally, further propagating said plant, and grafting a scion to the allotetraploid pepper rootstock to produce a composite pepper plant, wherein the scion is a commercial pepper variety, and wherein a fruit or vegetable harvested from the scion has an improved agronomic trait compared to the same variety grown without the allotetraploid pepper rootstock.The method of embodiment 50, wherein the first and second peppers are sexually compatible and the generating an interspecific hybrid plant is achieved via crossing. The method of embodiment 50, wherein the first and second peppers are sexually incompatible and the generating an interspecific hybrid plant is achieved via protoplast fusion. The method of embodiment 50, wherein the improved agronomic trait is increased sweetness, increased shelf-life, larger fruit size, improved flavor, improved texture, improved color, increased nutrient content, altered nutrient profile, or a combination thereof. A composite plant comprising the hybrid allopolyploid pepper of any one of embodiments 21 -23, or an allotetraploid pepper described herein as the rootstock, and a scion comprising chromosomes from a different genus. The composite plant of embodiment 54, wherein the scion is Solatium lycopersicum. The composite plant of embodiment 54, wherein the scion is Solatium melongena. A composite plant comprising the hybrid allopolyploid pepper of any one of embodiments 21-23, or an allotetraploid pepper described herein as the scion, and a rootstock comprising chromosomes from a different genus. The composite plant of embodiment 57, wherein the rootstock comprises chromosomes from Solarium lycopersicum or Solatium melongena. A plant, plant part, or plant cell of a pepper variety designated ‘MP 25-01’, wherein seed of said pepper variety has also been deposited under NCMA No. XXXXXXXXX. The pepper plant part of embodiment 59, wherein the part is selected from the group consisting of a seed, leaf, a flower, a fruit, a stalk, a root, a rootstock, a scion, a meristem, and a cell. The plant part of embodiment 60, wherein the plant part is a rootstock. A tissue culture of regenerable cells produced from the pepper plant, plant part, or plant cell of embodiment 59. A pepper plant regenerated from the tissue culture of embodiment 62, said plant having all the physiological and morphological characteristics of pepper variety designated ‘MP 25-0 T deposited under NCMA No. XXXXXXXXX, when grown under the same environmental conditions. A method for harvesting a pepper fruit, the method comprising: (a) growing the pepper plant of embodiment 59 to produce a pepper fruit, and (b) harvesting said pepper fruit.A method for producing a pepper seed, the method comprising: (a) crossmg a first pepper plant with a second pepper plant and (b) harvesting the resultant pepper seed, wherein said first pepper plant and / or second pepper plant is the pepper plant of embodiment 59. A method of vegetatively propagating pepper variety designated ‘MP 25-01’, the method comprising: (a) collecting a part capable of being propagated from the plant of embodiment 59 and (b) regenerating a plant from said part. The method of embodiment 66, further comprising (c) harvesting a fruit from said regenerated plant. A plant obtained by the method of embodiment 66, wherein said plant has all of the physiological and morphological characteristics of pepper designated ‘MP 25-01’ deposited under NCMA No. XXXXXXXXX. A pepper fruit produced by the method of embodiment 67. A method of producing a pepper plant obtained from pepper variety' designated ‘MP 25-01 ’, the method comprising: (a) growing the seed produced by the method of embodiment 65 to obtain a progeny pepper plant. The method of embodiment 70, further comprising the steps of:(b) crossing the progeny pepper plant obtained from step (a) with itself or a second pepper plant to produce a progeny seed of a subsequent generation;(c) growing the progeny seed of the subsequent generation to produce a progenyplant of a subsequent generation; and(d) crossing the progeny plant of a subsequent generation with itself or a second pepper plant to produce an pepper seed of a further subsequent generation. The method of embodiment 71, further comprising: (e) repeating steps (c) and (d) at least once to produce an pepper plant further derived from pepper variety designated ‘MP 25-01 ’. lire plant, plant part, or plant cell of embodiment 59, further comprising a single locus conversion and otherwise all of the essential morphological and physiological characteristics of pepper variety designated ‘MP 25-01 ’ deposited under NCMA No. XXXXXXXXX, when grown under the same environmental conditions. The plant, plant part, or plant cell of embodiment 73, wherein the single locus conversion confers said plant with male sterility, male fertility, herbicide resistance, insect resistance, disease resistance, water stress tolerance, heat tolerance, improvedstandability, enhanced plant vigor, improved shelf life, delayed senescence or controlled ripening, and / or increased nutritional quality. The plant, plant part, or plant cell of embodiment 73, wherein the single locus conversion is an artificially mutated gene or a nucleotide sequence. The plant, plant part, or plant cell of embodiment 73, wherein the single locus conversion is introduced into the plant by a genetic transformation or a gene editing technique with a nuclease selected from the group consisting of Zinc finger nuclease (ZFN), Transcription Activation-Like Effector Nuclease (TALEN), Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats-associated Cas endonuclease (CRISPR-Cas), meganuclease, homing endonuclease, and RNA-guided nuclease. A method of producing a composite pepper plant, the method comprising: grafting a rootstock or a scion of the pepper plant of embodiment 59 to another pepper plant. A method for producing nucleic acids, the method comprising: isolating nucleic acids from the plant, plant part or plant cell of embodiment 59. A method of producing a commodity plant product, the method comprising: obtaining the plant, plant part, or plant cell of embodiment 59 and producing said commodity plant product therefrom. A method for producing a hybrid allotetraploid pepper plant, comprising: crossing pepper variety designated "MP 25-01 ’ with a second allotetraploid pepper plant to produce hybrid allotetraploid pepper seed; collecting the hybrid allotetraploid pepper seed; and growing the hybrid allotetraploid pepper seed to produce a hybrid allotetraploid pepper plant. A composite plant, wherein the rootstock of the composite plant is pepper variety designated ‘MP 25-01’, wherein seed of said pepper variety has also been deposited under NCMA No. X XXXXXWX. A plant, plant part, or plant cell of a pepper variety designated ‘MP 23-04’, wherein seed of said pepper variety has also been deposited under NCMANo. XXXXXXXXX. The pepper plant part of embodiment 82, wherein the part is selected from the group consisting of a seed, leaf, a flower, a fruit, a stalk, a root, a rootstock, a scion, a meristem, and a cell. The plant part of embodiment 83, wherein the plant part is a rootstock. A tissue culture of regenerable cells produced from the pepper plant, plant part, or plant cell of embodiment 82.A pepper plant regenerated from the tissue culture of embodiment 85. said plant having all the physiological and morphological characteristics of pepper variety designated ‘MP 23-04’ deposited under NCMA No, XXXXXXXXX, when grown under the same environmental conditions . A method for harvesting a pepper fruit, the method comprising: (a) growing the pepper plant of embodiment 82 to produce a pepper fruit, and (b) harvesting said pepper fruit. A method for producing a pepper seed, the method comprising: (a) crossing a first pepper plant with a. second pepper plant and (b) harvesting the resultant pepper seed, wherein said first pepper plant and / or second pepper plant is the pepper plant of embodiment 82. A method of vegetatively propagating pepper variety designated ‘MP 2.3-04’, the method comprising: (a) collecting a part capable of being propagated from the plant of embodiment 82 and (b) regenerating a plant from said part. The method of embodiment 89, further comprising (c) harvesting a fruit from said regenerated plant. A plant obtained by the method of embodiment 89, wherein said plant has all of the physiological and morphological characteristics of pepper designated ‘MP 23-04’ deposited under NCMA No. XXXXXXXXX. A pepper fruit produced by the method of embodiment 90. A method of producing a pepper plant obtained from pepper variety designated ‘MP 23-04’, the method comprising: (a) growing the seed produced by the method of embodiment 89 to obtain a progeny pepper plant. The method of embodiment 93, further comprising the steps of:(b) crossing the progeny pepper plant obtained from step (a) with itself or a second pepper plant to produce a progeny seed of a subsequent generation;(c) growing the progeny seed of the subsequent generation to produce a progenyplant of a subsequent generation; and(d) crossing the progeny plant of a subsequent generation with itself or a second pepper plant to produce a pepper seed of a further subsequent generation. The method of embodiment 94, further comprising: (e) repeating steps (c) and (d) at least once to produce a pepper plant further derived from pepper variety designated ‘MP 2.3-04’. The plant, plant part, or plant cell of embodiment 82, further comprising a single locus conversion and otherwise all of the essential morphological and physiologicalcharacteristics of pepper variety designated ‘MP 23-04’ deposited under NCMA No. XXXXXXXXX, when grown under the same environmental conditions. The plant, plant part, or plant cell of embodiment 96, wherein the single locus conversion confers said plant with male sterility, male fertility, herbicide resistance, insect resistance, disease resistance, water stress tolerance, heat tolerance, improved standability; enhanced plant vigor, improved shelf life, delayed senescence or controlled ripening, and / or increased nutritional quality. The plant, plant part, or plant cell of embodiment 96, wherein the single locus conversion is an artificially mutated gene or a nucleotide sequence. The plant, plant part, or plant cell of embodiment 96, wherein the single locus conversion is introduced into the plant by a genetic transformation or a gene editing technique with a nuclease selected from the group consisting of Zinc finger nuclease (ZFN), Transcription Activation-Like Effector Nuclease (TALEN), Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats-associated Cas endonuclease (CRISPR-Cas), meganuclease, homing endonuclease, and RNA-guided nuclease. A method of producing a composite pepper plant, the method comprising: grafting a rootstock or a scion of tire pepper plant of embodiment 82 to another pepper plant. A method for producing nucleic acids, the method comprising: isolating nucleic acids from the plant, plant part or plant cell of embodiment 82. A method of producing a commodity plant product, the method comprising: obtaining the plant, plant part, or plant cell of embodiment 82 and producing said commodity plant product therefrom. A method for producing a hybrid allotetraploid pepper plant, comprising: crossing pepper variety designated ‘MP 23-04’ with a second allotetraploid pepper plant to produce hybrid allotetraploid pepper seed; collecting the hybrid allotetraploid pepper seed; and growing the hybrid allotetraploid pepper seed to produce a hybrid allotetraploid pepper plant. A composite plant, wherein the rootstock of the composite plant is pepper variety' designated ‘MP 23-04’, wherein seed of said pepper variety has also been deposited under NCMA No. XXXXXXXXX. A plant, plant part, or plant cell of a pepper variety designated ‘MP 25-02’, wherein seed of said pepper variety has also been deposited under NCMA No. XXXXXXXXX.The pepper plant part of embodiment 105, wherein the part is selected from the group consisting of a seed, leaf, a flower, a fruit, a stalk, a root, a rootstock, a scion, a meristem, and a cell. The plant part of embodiment 106, wherein the plant part is a rootstock. A tissue culture of regenerable cells produced from the pepper plant, plant part, or plant cell of embodiment 105. A pepper plant regenerated from the tissue culture of embodiment 108, said plant having all the physiological and morphological characteristics of pepper variety designated ‘MP 25-02’ deposited under NCMA No. XXXXXXXXX, when grown under the same environmental conditions. A method for harvesting a pepper fruit, the method comprising: (a) growing the pepper plant of embodiment 105 to produce a pepper fruit, and (b) harvesting said pepper fruit. A method for producing a pepper seed, the method comprising: (a) crossing a first pepper plant with a second pepper plant and (b) harvesting the resultant pepper seed, wherein said first pepper plant and / or second pepper plant is the pepper plant of embodiment 105. A method of vegetatively propagating pepper variety designated ‘MP 25-02’, the method compri sing: (a) collecting a part capable of being propagated from the plant, of embodiment 105 and (b) regenerating a plant from said part. lire method of embodiment 112, further comprising (c) harvesting a fruit from said regenerated plant. A plant obtained by the method of embodiment 1 12, wherein said plant has all of the physiological and morphological characteristics of pepper designated ‘MP 25-02’ deposited under NCMA No. XXXXXXXXX. A pepper fruit produced by the method of embodiment 113. A method of producing a pepper plant obtained from pepper variety designated ‘MP 25-02', the method comprising: (a) growing the seed produced by the method of embodiment 112 to obtain a progeny pepper plant. The method of embodiment 116, further comprising the steps of:(b) crossing the progeny pepper plant obtained from step (a) with itself or a second pepper plant to produce a progeny seed of a subsequent generation;(c) growing the progeny seed of the subsequent, generation to produce a progeny plant of a subsequent generation; and(d) crossing the progeny plant of a subsequent generation with itself or a second pepper plant to produce a pepper seed of a further subsequent generation. The method of embodiment 117, further comprising: (e) repeating steps (c) and (d) at least once to produce a pepper plant further derived from pepper variety' designated MP 25-02’. Idle plant, plant part, or plant cell of embodiment 105, further comprising a single locus conversion and otherwise all of the essential morphological and physiological characteristics of pepper variety designated ‘MP 25-02’ deposited under NCMA No. XXXXXXXXX, when grown under the same environmental conditions. The plant, plant part, or plant cell of embodiment 119, wherein the single locus conversion confers said plant with male sterility, male fertility, herbicide resistance, insect resistance, disease resistance, water stress tolerance, heat tolerance, improved standability', enhanced plant vigor, improved shelf life, delayed senescence or controlled ripening, and / or increased nutritional quality. The plant, plant part, or plant cell of embodiment 119, wherein the single locus conversion is an artificially mutated gene or a nucleotide sequence. The plant, plant part, or plant cell of embodiment 119, wherein the single locus conversion is introduced into the plant by a genetic transformation or a gene editing technique with a nuclease selected from the group consisting of Zinc finger nuclease (ZFN), Transcription Activation-Like Effector Nuclease (TALEN), Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats-associated Cas endonuclease (CRISPR-Cas), meganuclease, homing endonuclease, and RNA-guided nuclease. A method of producing a composite pepper plant, the method comprising: grafting a rootstock or a scion of tire pepper plant of embodiment 105 to another pepper plant. A method for producing nucleic acids, the method comprising: isolating nucleic acids from the plant, plant part or plant cell of embodiment 105. A method of producing a commodity plant product, the method comprising: obtaining the plant, plant part, or plant cell of embodiment 105 and producing said commodity plant product therefrom. A method for producing a hybrid allotetraploid pepper plant, comprising: crossing pepper variety designated ‘MP 25-02’ with a second allotetraploid pepper plant to produce hybrid allotetraploid pepper seed; collecting the hybrid allotetraploid pepper seed; and growing the hybrid allotetraploid pepper seed to produce a hybrid allotetraploid pepper plant.A composite plant, wherein the rootstock of the composite plant is pepper variety designated ‘MP 25-02’, wherein seed of said pepper variety has also been deposited under NCMA No. \ XXXX\WX. A plant, plant part, or plant cell of a pepper variety designated ‘MP 25-03’, wherein seed of said pepper variety has also been deposited under NCMA No. XXXXXXXXX. Idle pepper plant part of embodiment 128, wherein the part is selected from the group consisting of a seed, leaf, a flower, a fruit, a stalk, a root, a rootstock, a scion, a meristem, and a cell . The plant part of embodiment 129, wherein the plant part is a rootstock. A tissue culture of regenerable cells produced from the pepper plant, plant part, or plant cell of embodiment 128. A pepper plant regenerated from the tissue culture of embodiment 131, said plant having all the physiological and morphological characteristics of pepper variety designated ‘MP 25-03’ deposited under NCMA No, XXXXXXXXX, when grown under the same environmental conditions. Amethod for harvesting a pepper fruit, the method comprising: (a) growing the pepper plant of embodiment 128 to produce a pepper fruit, and (b) harvesting said pepper fruit. A method for producing a pepper seed, the method comprising: (a) crossing a first pepper plant with a second pepper plant and (b) harvesting the resulttint pepper seed, wherein said first pepper plant and / or second pepper plant is the pepper plant of embodiment 128. A method of vegetatively propagating pepper variety designated ‘MP 25-03’, the method comprising: (a) collecting a part capable of being propagated from the plant of embodiment 128 and (b) regenerating a plant from said part. The method of embodiment 135, further comprising (c) harvesting a fruit from said regenerated plant. A plant obtained by the method of embodiment 135, wherein said plant has all of the physiological and morphological characteristics of pepper designated ‘MP 25-03’ deposited under NCMA No. XXXXXXXXX. A pepper fruit produced by the method of embodiment 136. A method of producing a pepper plant obtained from pepper variety designated ‘MP 2.5-03’, the method comprising: (a) growing the seed produced by the method of embodiment 135 to obtain a progeny pepper plant. The method of embodiment 139, further comprising the steps of:(b) crossing the progeny pepper plant obtained from step (a) with itself or a second pepper plant to produce a progeny seed of a subsequent generation;(c) growing the progeny seed of the subsequent generation to produce a progeny plant of a subsequent generation; and(d) crossing the progeny plant of a subsequent generation with itself or a second pepper plant to produce a pepper seed of a further subsequent generation. The method of embodiment 140, further comprising: (e) repeating steps (c) and (d) at least once to produce a pepper plant further derived from pepper variety designated ‘MP 25-03’. The plant plant part, or plant cell of embodiment 128, further comprising a single locus conversion and otherwise all of the essential morphological and physiological characteristics of pepper variety designated ‘MP 25-03’ deposited under NCMA No. XXXXXXXXX, when grown under the same environmental conditions. The plant, plant part, or plant cell of embodiment 142, wherein the single locus conversion confers said plant with male sterility, male fertility, herbicide resistance, insect resistance, disease resistance, water stress tolerance, heat tolerance, improved standability, enhanced plant vigor, improved shelf life, delayed senescence or controlled ripening, and / or increased nutritional quality. The plant, plant part, or plant cell of embodiment 142, wherein the single locus conversion is an artificially mutated gene or a nucleotide sequence. The plant, plant part, or plant cell of embodiment 142, wherein the single locus conversion is introduced into the plant by a genetic transformation or a gene editing technique with a nuclease selected from the group consisting of Zinc finger nuclease (ZFN), Transcription Activation-Like Effector Nuclease (TALEN), Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats-associated Cas endonuclease (CRISPR-Cas), meganuclease, homing endonuclease, and RNA-guided nuclease. A method of producing a composite pepper plant, the method comprising: grafting a rootstock or a scion of the pepper plant of embodiment 128 to another pepper plant. A method tor producing nucleic acids, the method comprising: isolating nucleic acids from the plant, plant part or plant cell of embodiment 128. A method of producing a commodity plant product, the method comprising: obtaining the plant, plant part, or plant cell of embodiment 12.8 and producing said commodity plant product therefrom.A method for producing a hybrid allotetraploid pepper plant, comprising: crossing pepper variety designated ‘MP 25-03’ with a second allotetraploid pepper plant to produce hybrid allotetraploid pepper seed; collecting the hybrid allotetraploid pepper seed; and growing the hybrid allotetraploid pepper seed to produce a hybrid allotetraploid pepper plant. A composite plant, wherein the rootstock of the composite plant is pepper variety designated ‘MP 25-03’, wherein seed of said pepper variety has also been deposited under NCMA No. XXXXXXXXX. A plant, plant part, or plant cell of a pepper variety designated ‘MP 25-04’, wherein seed of said pepper variety has also been deposited under NCMA No. XXXXXXXXX. The pepper plant part of embodiment 151 , wherein the part is selected from the group consisting of a seed, leaf, a flower, a fruit, a stalk, a root, a rootstock, a scion, a meristem, and a ceil. The plant part of embodiment 152, wherein the plant part is a rootstock, A tissue culture of regenerable cells produced from the pepper plant, plant part, or plant cell of embodiment 151. A pepper plant regenerated from the tissue culture of embodiment 154, said plant having all the physiological and morphological characteristics of pepper variety designated ‘MP 25-04’ deposited under NCMA No. XXXXXXXXX, when grown under the same environmental conditions. A method for harvesting a pepper fruit, the method comprising: (a) growing the pepper plant of embodiment 151 to produce a pepper fruit, and (b) harvesting said pepper fruit. A method for producing a pepper seed, the method comprising: (a) crossing a first pepper plant with a second pepper plant and (b) harvesting the resultant pepper seed, wherein said first pepper plant and / or second pepper plant is the pepper plant of embodiment 151. A method of vegetatively propagating pepper variety designated ‘MP 25-04’, the method comprising: (a) collecting a part capable of being propagated from the plant of embodiment 151 and (b) regenerating a plant from said part. The method of embodiment 158, further comprising (c) harvesting a fruit from said regenerated plant. A plant obtained by the method of embodiment 158, wherein said plant has all of the physiological and morphological characteristics of pepper designated ‘MP 25-04’ deposited under NCMA No. XXXXXXXXX.A pepper fruit produced by the method of embodiment 159, A method of producing a pepper plant obtained from pepper variety designated MP 25-04’, the method comprising: (a) growing the seed produced by the method of embodiment 158 to obtain a progeny pepper plant. The me thod of embodiment 162, further comprising the steps of:(b) crossing the progeny pepper plant obtained from step (a) with itself or a second pepper plant to produce a progeny seed of a subsequent generation;(c) growing the progeny seed of the subsequent generation to produce a progeny plant of a subsequent generation; and(d) crossing the progeny plant of a subsequent generation with itself or a second pepper plant to produce a pepper seed of a further subsequent generation. The method of embodiment 163, further comprising: (e) repeating steps (c) and (d) at least once to produce a pepper plant further derived from pepper variety designated ‘MP 25-04’. The plant, plant part, or plant cell of embodiment 151, further comprising a single locus conversion and otherwise all of the essential morphological and physiological characteristics of pepper variety designated ‘MP 25-04’ deposited under NCMA No. XXXXXXXXX, when grown under the same environmental conditions. The plant, plant part, or plant cell of embodiment 165, wherein the single locus conversion confers said plant with male sterility, male fertility, herbicide resistance, insect resistance, disease resistance, water stress tolerance, heat tolerance, improved standability, enhanced plant vigor, improved shelf life, delayed senescence or controlled ripening, and / or increased nutritional quality'. The plant, plant part, or plant cell of embodiment 165, wherein the single locus conversion is an artificially mutated gene or a nucleotide sequence. The plant, plant part, or plant cell of embodiment 165, wherein the single locus conversion is introduced into the plant by a genetic transformation or a gene editing technique with a nuclease selected from the group consisting of Zinc finger nuclease (ZFN), Transcription Activation-Like Effector Nuclease (TALEN), Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats-associated Cas endonuclease (CRISPR-Cas), meganuclease, homing endonuclease, and RNA-guided nuclease. A method of producing a composite pepper plant, the method comprising: grafting a rootstock or a scion of the pepper plant of embodiment 151 to another pepper plant.A method tor producing nucleic acids, the method comprising: isolating nucleic acids from the plant, plant part or plant cell of embodiment 151. A method of producing a commodity plant product, the method comprising: obtaining the plant, plant part, or plant cell of embodiment 151 and producing said commodity plant product therefrom. A method for producing a hybrid allotetraploid pepper plant, comprising: crossing pepper variety designated ‘MP 25-04’ with a second allotetraploid pepper plant to produce hybrid allotetraploid pepper seed; collecting the hybrid allotetraploid pepper seed; and growing the hybrid allotetraploid pepper seed to produce a hybrid allotetraploid pepper plant. A composite plant, wherein the rootstock of the composite plant is pepper variety designated ‘MP 25-04’, wherein seed of said pepper variety has also been deposited under NCMA No. XXXXXXXXX.

Claims

CLAIMSWhat is claimed is:

1. A method for producing a composite eggplant with tolerance against at least one abiotic or biotic stress, comprising:(i) selecting a first eggplant variety which is stress-tolerant against at least one abiotic or biotic stress;(ii) crossing said first eggplant variety with a second eggplant variety of a different species sexually compatible with the first eggplant variety to produce an interspecific hybrid seed;(iii) growing the interspecific hybrid seed to produce an interspecific hybrid eggplant;(iv) applying a chromosome doubling treatment to the interspecific hybrid plant, or a part thereof, to generate a chimeric interspecific hybrid eggplant;(v) collecting seed from an allotetraploid fruit of said chimeric interspecific hybrid plant;(vi) growing the seed to produce an allotetraploid eggplant rootstock plant with tolerance against at least one abiotic or biotic stress and, optionally, further propagating said plant; and(vii) grafting a scion of a cultivated eggplant variety to the allotetraploid eggplant rootstock to produce a composite eggplant with tolerance against at least one abiotic or biotic stress.

2. A method for producing a composite eggplant with tolerance against at least one abiotic or biotic stress, comprising:(i) selecting a first eggplant variety which is stress-tolerant against at least one abiotic or biotic stress;(ii) fusing a protoplast isolated from said first eggplant variety with another protoplast isolated from an eggplant variety sexually incompatible with the first eggplant variety;(iii) selecting a heterokaryon;(iv) regenerating an allotetraploid eggplant rootstock plant with tolerance against at least one abiotic or biotic stress from the heterokaryon; and, optionally, further propagating said plant; and(v) grafting a scion of a cultivated eggplant variety to the allotetraploid eggplant rootstock to produce a composite eggplant with tolerance against at least one abiotic or biotic stress.

3. A method for producing a stress-tolerant hybrid allopolyploid eggplant or seed, comprising:(i) selecting a first eggplant variety which is stress-tolerant against at least one abiotic or biotic stress;(ii) crossing said first eggplant variety with a second eggplant variety of a different species sexually compatible with the first eggplant variety to produce an interspecific hybrid seed;(lii) growing the interspecific hybrid seed to produce an interspecific hybrid eggplant;(iv) applying a chromosome doubling treatment to the interspecific hybrid plant, or a part thereof, to generate a chimeric interspecific hybrid eggplant;(v) collecting seed from an allotetraploid fruit of said chimeric interspecific hybrid plant;(vi) growing the seed to produce a first allotetraploid eggplant with tolerance against at least one abiotic or biotic stress and, optionally, further propagating said plant;(vii) crossing the first allotetraploid eggplant with a second allotetraploid eggplant to produce hybrid allopolyploid seed;(viii) harvesting the hybrid allopolyploid seed; and(ix) optionally growing the hybrid allopolyploid seed to produce a stress-tolerant hybrid allopolyploid eggplant.

4. A method for producing a stress-tolerant hybrid allopolyploid eggplant, comprising:(i) selecting a first eggplant variety which is stress-tolerant against at least one abiotic or biotic stress;(ii) fusing a protoplast isolated from said first eggplant variety with another protoplast isolated from a second eggplant variety sexually incompatible with the first eggplant variety to produce a heterokaryon;(lii) regenerating a first allotetraploid eggplant from the heterokaryon;(iv) fusing a protoplast isolated from the first allotetraploid eggplant with another protoplast isolated from a second allotetraploid eggplant to a produce hybrid allopolyploid heterokaryon; and(v) regenerating a hybrid allopolyploid eggplant from the hybrid allopolyploid heterokaryon to produce a stress-tolerant hybrid allopolyploid eggplant.

5. A method for producing a composite eggplant with tolerance against at least one abiotic or biotic stress, comprising:(i) providing a hybrid allopolyploid eggplant produced by the method of claim 3 or 4 as a rootstock; and(ii) grafting a scion of a cultivated eggplant variety to the ailotetrapioid eggplant rootstock to produce a composite eggplant with tolerance against at least one abiotic or biotic stress.

6. The method of claim lor 3, wherein the part thereof is a vegetative cutting.

7. The method of claim 3 or 4, wherein the second ailotetrapioid eggplant exhibits at least one tolerance against at least one abiotic or biotic stress which is not present in the first allopolyploid eggplant.

8. The method of claim 1, 2, or 5, wherein the cultivated eggplant is an inbred or essentially homozygous.

9. The method of claim 1, 2, or 5, wherein the cultivated eggplant is a hybrid.

10. The method of any one of claims 1-5, wherein the first eggplant variety is a wild variety.

11. The method of any one of claims 1-5, wherein the first or second eggplant variety7is a landrace variety.

12. The method of any one of claims 1-5, wherein the first eggplant is a wild variety and the second eggplant variety is a cultivated variety.

13. The method of any one of claims 1-5, wherein the first eggplant is a landrace variety and the second eggplant variety is a cultivated variety.

14. The method of any one of claims 1-5, wherein the first or second eggplant variety is an Fi hybrid.

15. The method of claim 1 , 2 or 5, wherein the scion is a commercial eggplant variety.

16. The method of any one of claims 1-5, wherein the first or second eggplant variety has an abiotic stress tolerance selected from the group consisting of cold tolerance, high temperature tolerance, drought tolerance, and salt tolerance.

17. The method of any one of claims 1-5, wherein the first or second eggplant variety has a biotic stress tolerance selected from the group consisting of a disease resistance, a pest resistance, a bacterial resistance, a fungal resistance, an insect resistance, and a nematode resistance.

18. The method of any one of claims 1-5, wherein the first eggplant variety has a different biotic or abiotic stress tolerance than the second eggplant variety.

19. The method of any one of claims 1 , 2 or 5, wherein the cultivated eggplant variety used as scion is less tolerant against at least one biotic or abiotic stress in comparison to the allotetraploid eggplant rootstock.

20. The method of claim 2 or 4, wherein the protoplast fusion is asymmetrical and mitochondria are only provided by a cultivated eggplant variety' to generate the first allotetraploid plant.21 . A hybrid allopolyploid eggplant or plant part with tolerance against at least one abiotic or biotic stress, comprising:(i) at least one chromosome from each of a first and a second eggplant variety, wherein the second eggplant variety exhibits at least one tolerance against at least one abiotic or biotic stress which is not present in said first eggplant variety; and(ii) at least one chromosome for a cultivated eggplant variety of a species different from said first and second eggplant varieties.

22. The hybrid allopolyploid eggplant of claim 21, wherein said plant is produced by the method of claim 3 or 4.

23. The hybrid allopolyploid eggplant part of claim 21, wherein said plant part is a seed.

24. A composite eggplant with tolerance against at least one abiotic or biotic stress, said composite eggplant comprising:(i) as a rootstock the hybrid allopolyploid eggplant of any one of claims 21 -23, and(ii) as a scion a cultivated eggplant variety.

25. A composite eggplant with tolerance against at least one abiotic or biotic stress, said composite eggplant comprising:(i) as a rootstock an allotetraploid eggplant comprising i . at least one chromosome from a wild or landrace eggplant variety' which exhibits at least one tolerance against at least one abiotic or biotic stress; and ii. at least one chromosome from a cultivated eggplant variety(ii) as a scion a cultivated eggplant variety.

26. The composite eggplant of claim 25, wherein said composite eggplant is produced by the method of claim 1 or 2.

27. The composite eggplant of any of claim 24-26. wherein said composite eggplant has a higher tolerance against at least one biotic or abiotic stress in comparison to the cultivated eggplant variety' used a scion when grown under the same conditions without the allotetraploid rootstock.

28. Tire method of any one of claims 1 -20. the hybrid allopolyploid eggplant or plant part of any one of claims 21-23, or the composite eggplant of any one of claims 24-27. wherein the first or second eggplant variety are selected from Solarium melongena and subspecies thereof.

29. The method of any one of claims 1-20, the hybrid allopolyploid eggplant or plant part of any one of claims 21-2.3, or the composite eggplant of any one of claims 24-27, wherein the first variety' is Solanum melongena or a subspecies thereof and the second eggplant variety is Solanum aethiopicum,30. Hie method of any one of claims 1-20, the hybrid allopolyploid eggplant or plant part of any' one of claims 21-23, or the composite eggplant of any one of claims 24-27, wherein the first variety is Solanum melongena or a subspecies thereof and the second variety is Solanum torvum.

31. A commodity plant product produced from the hybrid allopolyploid eggplant or plant part of any one of claims 21-2.3, or the composite eggplant of any one of claims 24-27.

32. The commodity plant product of claim 31, wherein the plant product is an eggplant fruit.

33. The eggplant fruit of claim 32, wherein the fruit has an improved output trait compared to the same variety grown without grafting to a rootstock.

34. Ttie eggplant fruit of claim 33, wherein the output trait is selected from the group consisting of: increased sweetness, increased shelf-life, larger fruit size, improved flavor, improved texture, improved color, increased nutrient content, altered nutrient profile, and combinations thereof35. lire eggplant fruit of claim 34, wherein the nutrient is selected from the group consisting of potassium, copper, vitamin C, vitamin A , vitamin K, vitamin B6, vitamin Bl, niacin, fiber, protein, magnesium, manganese, polyphenols, and combinations thereof.

36. A method for producing a composite eggplant with an improved agronomic trait, comprising: selecting first and second eggplants having one or more desirable traits; generating an interspecific hybrid plant from said first and second eggplantsapplying a chromosome doubling treatment to the interspecific hybrid plant, or a part thereof, to generate a chimeric interspecific hybrid eggplant; collecting seed from an allotetraploid fruit of said chimeric interspecific hybrid plant; growing the seed to produce an allotetraploid eggplant rootstock plant with one or more desirable traits and, optionally, further propagating said plant, and grafting a scion to the allotetraploid eggplant rootstock to produce a composite eggplant, wherein the scion is a commercial eggplant variety, and wherein a fruit or vegetable harvested from the scion has an improved agronomic trait compared to the same variety grown without the allotetraploid eggplant rootstock.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the first and second eggplants are sexually compatible and the generating an interspecific hybrid plant is achieved via crossing.

38. The method of claim 36, wherein the first and second eggplants are sexually incompatible and the generating an interspecific hybrid plant is achieved via protoplast fusion.

39. The method of claim 36, wherein the improved agronomic trait is increased sweetness, increased shelf-life, larger fruit size, improved flavor, improved texture, improved color, increased nutrient content, altered nutrient profile, or a combination thereof.

40. A method for producing a composite pepper plant with tolerance against at least one abiotic or biotic stress, comprising:(i) selecting a first pepper variety which is stress-tolerant against at least one abiotic or biotic stress;(ii) crossing said first pepper variety with a second pepper variety of a different species sexually compatible with the first pepper variety to produce an interspecific hybrid seed;(fii) growing the interspecific hybrid seed to produce an interspecific hybrid pepper;(iv) applying a chromosome doubling treatment to the interspecific hybrid plant, or a part thereof, to generate a chimeric interspecific hybrid pepper;(v) collecting seed from an allotetraploid fruit of said chimeric interspecific hybrid plant;(vi) growing the seed to produce an allotetraploid pepper rootstock plant with tolerance against at least one abiotic or biotic stress and, optionally, further propagating said plant; and(vis) grafting a scion of a cultivated pepper variety to the allotetraploid pepper rootstock to produce a composite pepper plant with tolerance against at least one abiotic or biotic stress.

41. A method for producing a composite pepper plant with tolerance against at least one abiotic or biotic stress, comprising:(i) selecting a first pepper variety which is stress-tolerant against at least one abiotic or biotic stress;(ii) fusing a protoplast isolated from said first pepper variety with another protoplast isolated from an pepper variety sexually incompatible with the first pepper variety;(lii) selecting a heterokaryon;(iv) regenerating an allotetraploid pepper rootstock plant with tolerance against at least one abiotic or biotic stress from the heterokaryon; and, optionally, further propagating said plant; and(v) grafting a scion of a cultivated pepper variety to the allotetraploid pepper rootstock to produce a composite pepper plant with tolerance against at least one abiotic or biotic stress.

42. A method for producing a stress-tolerant hybrid allopolyploid pepper plant or seed, comprising:(i) selecting a first pepper variety which is stress-tolerant against at least one abiotic or biotic stress;(ii) crossing said first pepper variety with a second pepper variety of a different species sexually compatible with the first pepper variety to produce an interspecific hybrid seed;(lii) growing the interspecific hybrid seed to produce an interspecific hybrid pepper;(iv) applying a chromosome doubling treatment to the interspecific hybrid plant, or a part thereof, to generate a chimeric interspecific hybrid pepper;(v) collecting seed from an allotetraploid fruit of said chimeric interspecific hybrid plant;(vi) growing the seed to produce a first allotetraploid pepper with tolerance against at least one abiotic or biotic stress and, optionally, further propagating said plant;(vii) crossing the first allotetraploid pepper with a second allotetraploid pepper to produce hybrid allopolyploid seed;(viii) harvesting the hybrid allopolyploid seed; and(ix) optionally growing the hybrid allopolyploid seed to produce a stress-tolerant hybrid allopolyploid pepper plant.

43. A method for producing a stress-tolerant hybrid allopolyploid pepper plant, comprising:(i) selecting a first pepper variety which is stress-tolerant against at least one abiotic or biotic stress;(ii) fusing a protoplast isolated from said first pepper variety with another protoplast isolated from a second pepper variety sexually incompatible with the first pepper variety to produce a heterokaryon;(iii) regenerating a first allotetrapioid pepper from the heterokaryon;(iv) fusing a protoplast isolated from the first allotetraploid pepper with another protoplast isolated from a second allotetraploid pepper to a produce hybrid allopolyploid heterokaryon; and(v) regenerating a hybrid allopolyploid pepper plant from the hybrid allopolyploid heterokaryon to produce a stress-tolerant hybrid allopolyploid pepper plant.

44. A method for producing a composite pepper plant with tolerance against at least one abiotic or biotic stress, comprising:(i) providing a hy brid allopolyploid pepper plant produced by the method of claim 42 or 43 as a rootstock; and(ii) grafting a scion of a cultivated pepper variety to the allotetraploid pepper rootstock to produce a composite pepper plant with tolerance against at least one abiotic or biotic stress.

45. The method of claim 40 or 42, wherein the part thereof is a vegetative cutting.

46. The method of claim 42 or 43, wherein the second allotetraploid pepper exhibits at least one tolerance against at least one abiotic or biotic stress which is not present in the first allopolyploid pepper plant.

47. Hie method of claim 40, 41, or 44, wherein the cultivated pepper is an inbred or essentially homozygous.

48. The method of claim 40, 41 , or 44, wherein the cultivated pepper is a hybrid.

49. The method of any one of claims 40-44, wherein the first pepper variety is a wild variety.

50. The method of any one of claims 40-44, wherein the first or second pepper variety is a landrace variety.51 . The method of any one of claims 40-44, wherein the first pepper is a wild variety and the second pepper variety is a cultivated variety.

52. The method of any one of claims 40-44, wherein the first pepper is a landrace variety and the second pepper variety is a cultivated variety.

53. The method of any one of claims 40-44, wherein the first or second pepper variety is an Fi hybrid.

54. The method of claim 40, 41 , or 44, wherein the scion is a commercial pepper variety.

55. The method of any one of claims 40-44, wherein the first or second pepper variety has an abiotic stress tolerance selected from the group consisting of cold tolerance, high temperature tolerance, drought tolerance, and salt tolerance.

56. The method of any one of claims 40-44, wherein the first or second pepper variety has a biotic stress tolerance selected from the group consisting of a disease resistance, a pest resistance, a bacterial resistance, a fungal resistance, an insect resistance, and a nematode resistance.

57. The method of any one of claims 40-44, wherein the first pepper variety has a different biotic or abiotic stress tolerance than the second pepper variety.

58. The method of any one of claims 40, 41, or 44, wherein the cultivated pepper variety used as scion is less tolerant against at least one biotic or abiotic stress in comparison to the ailotetrapioid pepper rootstock.

59. Hie method of claim 41 or 43, wherein the protoplast fusion is asymmetrical and mitochondria are only provided by a cultivated pepper variety to generate the first ailotetrapioid plant.

60. A hybrid allopolyploid pepper plant or plant part with tolerance against at least one abiotic or biotic stress, comprising:(i) at least one chromosome from each of a first and a second pepper variety, wherein the second pepper variety exhibits at least one tolerance against at least one abiotic or biotic stress which is not present in said first pepper variety; and(ii) at least one chromosome for a cultivated pepper variety of a species different from said first and second pepper varieties.

61. The hybrid allopolyploid pepper plant of claim 60, wherein said plant is produced by the method of claim 42 or 43.

62. The hybrid allopolyploid pepper plant part of claim 60, wherein said plant part is a seed .

63. A composite pepper plant with tolerance against at least one abiotic or biotic stress, said composite pepper plant comprising:(iii) as a rootstock the hybrid allopolyploid pepper plant of any one of claims 60-62. and(iv) as a scion a cultivated pepper variety.

64. A composite pepper plant with tolerance against at least one abiotic or biotic stress, said composite pepper plant comprising:(i) as a rootstock an allotetraploid pepper comprising i. at least one chromosome from a wild or landrace pepper variety which exhibits at least one tolerance against at least one abiotic or biotic stress; and ii. at least one chromosome from a cultivated pepper variety(ii) as a scion a cultivated pepper variety .

65. The composite pepper plant of claim 64, wherein said composite pepper plant is produced by the method of claim 40 or 41.

66. The composite pepper plant of any of claim 63-65, wherein said composite pepper plant has a higher tolerance against at least one biotic or abiotic stress in comparison to the cultivated pepper variety used a scion when grown under the same conditions without the allotetraploid rootstock.

67. The method of any one of claims 40-59, the hy brid allopolyploid pepper plant or plant part of any one of claims 60-62, or the composite pepper plant of any one of claims 63- 66, wherein the first or second pepper variety are selected from Capsicum species and subspecies thereof.

68. A commodity plant product produced from the hybrid allopolyploid pepper plant or plant part of any one of claims 60-62, or the composite pepper plant of any one of claims 63-66.

69. The commodity plant product of claim 68, wherein the plant product is a pepper fruit.

70. The pepper fruit of claim 69, wherein the fruit has an improved output trait compared to the same variety grown without grafting to a rootstock.

71. Hie pepper fruit of claim 70, wherein the output trait is selected from the group consisting of: increased sweetness, increased shelf-life, larger fruit size, improved flavor, improved texture, improved color, increased nutrient content, altered nutrient profile, and combinations thereof72. The pepper fruit of claim 71 , wherein the nutrient is selected from the group consisting of vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin K, potassium, vitamin B6, niacin, folate, magnesium, beta-carotene, riboflavin, iron, and combinations thereof.

73. A method for producing a composite pepper plant with an improved agronomic trait, comprising: selecting first and second peppers having one or more desirable traits; generating an interspecific hybrid plant from said first and second peppers; applying a chromosome doubling treatment to the interspecific hybrid plant, or a part thereof, to generate a chimeric interspecific hybrid pepper; collecting seed from an allotetraploid fruit of said chimeric interspecific hybrid plant; growing the seed to produce an allotetraploid pepper rootstock plant with one or more desirable traits and, optionally, further propagating said plant, and grafting a scion to the allotetraploid pepper rootstock to produce a composite pepper plant, wherein the scion is a commercial pepper variety, and wherein a fruit or vegetable harvested from the scion has an improved agronomic trait compared to the same variety grown without the allotetraploid pepper rootstock.

74. The method of claim 73, wherein the first and second peppers are sexually compatible and the generating an interspecific hybrid plant is achieved via crossing.

75. The method of claim 73, wherein the first and second peppers are sexually incompatible and the generating an interspecific hybrid plant is achieved via protoplast fusion.

76. The method of claim 73, wherein the improved agronomic trait is increased sweetness, increased shelf-life, larger fruit size, improved flavor, improved texture, improved color, increased nutrient content, altered nutrient profile, or a combination thereof.

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