Supplemental material 1. Spraying with ethephon produces an ethylene physiological response. One-month-old seedlings were sprayed with different concentrations of ethephon, without (A) or with (B) a previous application of different concentrations of AgNO3. After each application, the Magenta boxes were hermetically closed and the leaf abscission was evaluated after an 8-day period.

1 60 Capsicum chinense TGLFNISLLL .VSLMILAIF HSCDAQNSPQ DYLEVHNNAR AQVGVGPMTW DAGLASRAQN Solanum tuberosum MGLFNISLLL .TCLMVLAIF HSCDAQNSPQ DYLAVHNDAR AQVGVGPMSW DAGLASRAQN Solanum phureja MGLFNISLLL .TCLMILAIF HSCDAQNSPQ DYLAVHNDAR AQVGVGPMSW DAGLASRAQN Capsicum annuum MGLFNIPLLL .VCLIVLAIF HSCHAQNSPQ DYLAVHNNAR AQVGVGPMSW DAGLASRAQNSolanum lycopersicum MGLFNMSLLL MTCLMVLAIF HSCDAQNSPQ DYLEVHNDAR AQVGVGPMSW DADLESRAQS  61 120 Capsicum chinense YANSRTGDCN LIHSGPGENL AKGGGDFTGR AAVELWVFEK PNYNHGTNQC ASGKVCGHYT Solanum tuberosum YANSRTGDCN LIHSGAGENL AKGTGDFTGR AAVQLWVGEK PNYNYGTNQC ASGQVCGHYT Solanum phureja YANSRTGDCN LIHSGAGENL AKGSGDFTGR AAVQLWVGEK PNYNYGTNQC ASGQVCGHYT Capsicum annuum YANSRTGDCN LIHSGAGENL AKGGGDYTGR RAVELWVSEK PNYNHATNQC AGGE.CRHYTSolanum lycopersicum YANSRAGDCN LIHSGSGENL AKGGGDFTGR AAVELWVSEK PNYNYDTNEC VSGKMCGHYT

121 162 Capsicum chinense QVVWRNSVRL GCGRARCNNG WWFISCNYDP VGNWAGQSPL LK Solanum tuberosum QVVWRNSVRL GCGRARCNNG WWFISCNYDP VGNWVGQRPY Solanum phureja QVVWRNSVRL GCGRARCNNG WWFISCNYDP VGNYVGQRPY Capsicum annuum QVVWRNSVRL GCGRARCNNG WWFISCNYDP VGNWVGQRPYSolanum lycopersicum QVVWRDSVRL GCGRALCNDG WWFISCNYDP VGNWVGQRPY

PR1

Supplemental material 2. The deduced amino acid sequence of Habanero pepper PR1 cDNA was aligned to their corresponding orthologues in Solanum tuberosum (GenBank accession code AY050221), Solanum phureja (GenBank accession code AJ493450), Capsicum annuum (GenBank accession code AY829644), and Solanum lycopersicum (GenBank accession code AJ001627).

PR10 1 60 Capsicum chinense MGAYTFTNES TVPVAPSRLF KALVIDFNHI VCKLMP.DVE SIENIEGDGG AGTIKKVTFV Capsicum annuum MGAYTFTDKS TASVAPSRLF KALVIDFNNL VSKLAP.DVK SIENVEGDGG AGTIKKMTFV Capsicum baccatum MGAYTFTDKS TASVAPSRLF KALVIDFNNI VSKLAP.DVK SIENVEGDGG AGTIKKMTFV Solanum virginianum MGVNTYTHES TTSISPSRLF KALVLHFDNL VPQVVPHEVK NIETIEGDGG AGSIKQMNFVSolanum lycopersicum MGVTTYTHED TSTVSPNRLF KALVIDGDNL IPKLMP.NVK NVET.EGDG. ..SIKKINFV

61 120

Capsicum chinense EGGPMKYLRH KIHVIDEENL VTKYSLIEGD ALANKADSVD YDVKFEASAD GGCVGTTVTV

Capsicum annuum EGGPIKYMKH KIHVIDEKNL VTKYSLIESD VTENKAESVD YDGKFEASAD GGSVCTTVTV

Capsicum baccatum EGGPIKYMKH KIHVIDEKNL VTKYSLIESD VLEGKAESVD YDGKFEASAD GGCVCTTVTV

Solanum virginianum EGGPIKYLKH KIHVIDDKNL ETKYSLIEGD VLGDKLESIN YDIKFEASGD GGCVCKTTTE

Solanum lycopersicum EGGPIKYLKH KIHAIDDKNL VTKYSLIEGD VLGDKLESIT HDVKFEPAGN GGCVCKTKTE

121 160 Capsicum chinense YNTIGDYVVT EEEHNLHKAR FDAIVTAVVT YLLTNPSAYA Capsicum annuum YNTKGDYVVT EEEHNVHKEK ANDLLKAIEA YLLANPSVYV Capsicum baccatum YNTKGDYVVT EEEHNVHKDK ANDLLKAIEA YLLANPSVCV Solanum virginianum YHTKGDHVIT EEEDNVGKDK AINLFKAVEA HLLANPSVYASolanum lycopersicum YHTKGDYVLK DEEHNEGKKH AMELFKAVED YLLANPSIYA

Supplemental material 3. The deduced amino acid sequence of Habanero pepper PR10 cDNA was aligned to their corresponding orthologues in Capsicum annuum (GenBank accession code AF244121), Capsicum baccatum (GenBank accession code DQ351934), Solanum virginianum (GenBank accession code AY660753), and Solanum lycopersicum (GenBank accession code AB211525).

1 60 Capsicum chinense MDGLYWIKST QDEWVRKYSD LSNVYLFGSS CGGNIAYHAG LRVAAGAYKE LEPVKIKGLI Capsicum annuum MDGLYWIKST QDEWVRKYSD LSNVYLFGSS CGGNIAYHAG LRVAAGAYKE LEPVKIKGLI Actinidia arguta VDALHWIRTS DDEWLRDFAD LSNCFLMGSS AGGNIAYHAG LRAAAAV.DD LAPLKIQGMV Medicago truncatula MEALSLIRSS QDEWLTKYVD YSKCYLMGNS AGATIAYHAG LRVLEKV.ND FEPLKIQGLI  61 120 Capsicum chinense LHQPYFSGKN RTESEEKLKD DQLLPLHAID KMFDLSLPKG TLDHDHEYSN PFLNGG.SKH Capsicum annuum LHQPYFSGKN RTESEEKLKD DQLLPLHAID KMFDLSLPKG TLDHDHEYSN PFLNGG.SKH Actinidia arguta LHQPYFGGSD RTPSEMRSVD DPLLPLFVNH LMWELSLPIG .ADRDHEYCN LTVSSE.SES Medicago truncatula LRQPFFGGTN RTESELRLEN DPNFPLCVSD LCWDLALPIG .VDRNHEYCN PTVGNDVDEK 

121 180 Capsicum chinense LDDVIAQGWK ILVTGVSGDP LVDNARNFAN FMEEKGIKTF KLFGD.GYHA IEGFEPSKAA Capsicum annuum LDDVIAQGWK ILVTGVSGDP LVDNARNFAN FMEEKGIKTF KLFGD.GYHA IEGFEPSKAA Actinidia arguta IETFKLLGWK VIVTGCDGDP LIDRQMELVK VLEKKGVRTI ALFDEGGFHG VEFRDPTRMK Medicago truncatula LDKIKDQGWR VLVSINGGDL LADRAKELVQ LMDEKGVEVV KDFQEEGFHG VEFFEPSKAK 

  181 195 Capsicum chinense ALIGAPKDFI CATTN Capsicum annuum ALIGATKDFI CATTN Actinidia arguta AFLEFLIPCL N.... Medicago truncatula KFIKLVKGFI STFDA

Esterase

Supplemental material 4. The deduced amino acid sequence of Habanero pepper esterase cDNA was aligned to their corresponding orthologues in Caspicum annuum (GenBank accession code AF072533), Actinidia arguta (GenBank accession code DQ279915), and Medicago truncatula (GenBank accession code BT052596).