*2.2. Pathogen Preparation and Plant Inoculation with P. capsici*

*P. capsici* isolate HT1 was used for *P. capsici* resistance identification in pepper. HT1 has been identified as physiological race 3 and was isolated from infected pepper fruit at the experimental station in Jiulongpo District, Chongqing, China. The isolate was cultured on V8 juice-agar medium at 28 ◦C in an incubator. To prepare the inoculums for disease screening, the cultures were soaked in 5 mL ddH2O and cultivated at 4 ◦C for 1 h and then set at room temperature for 1 h to promote sporulation. Spore density was determined using a hemocytometer and adjusted to 1 × 105 spores/mL in distilled water. Before inoculation, pepper plants were soaked in water. Then, 5 mL of suspension was injected into the root of each six- to seven-true-leaf stage pepper plant. The inoculated plants were then grown at 28 ◦C for 16 h/day and at 80% relative humidity.
