Blue Banana Pepper - Mutation????

[ContainerTed]

Okay, I've been scratching my head on this one all day. Harvested a few Sweet Banana Peppers today and found that some had dark-blue streaks in the skin color.

It has to be either a cross or a mutation. I suspect it's a mutation because all the peppers in the picture below came from the same plant. The ones at the top with no extra color came from one branch and the color streaked ones came from a different branch.

Also, this is the second crop for this plant. I harvested plenty of peppers early in the season and left the plant in place. It has since doubled it size and now has fruit on one side with these blue streaks.

The seed was saved last year and I had no blue/black or otherwise dark-skinned peppers of any type in the garden. Now, this year I have Royal Purple (two plants) about 35 feet away.

So, whatdaya think??

[Minnesota Mato]

I don't think it is a mutation, most likely from the sun. Is the branch with the striped peppers higher up toward the sun? It for sure has nothing to do with the royal purple peppers because it would only affect next years plants if you saved the seeds. I think it is just from changing weather.

[noinwi]

I agree with MN Mato...just a normal reaction to the sun. I've gotten it on lots of different peppers.

[Ken4230]

I grow a lot of Sweet Bananas, mostly in containers. Lots of my peppers will be lightly mottled like your pepper in the center of the plate.
It seems to affect the ones that receive the most sun. I havn't noticed any difference in taste.

[delltraveller]

I've also had Sweet Bananas with this characteristic.

[Wi-sunflower]

Yup, same conclusion from me. I see it in lots of hot peppers. With Jalapenos, that's when they will have some bite.

Carol

[ContainerTed]

Okay, folks, I guess that answers it. BTW, it is not just the areas of the plant that have a higher number of hours of direct sun. So, I would put that in the "Not Likely" category. Although the two stems had intermingled, the higher number of streaked fruit was on the "north" side of the plant.

I guess what got me so curious about this phenomena is that this is 4th generation from some seeds I bought at Wally World (Ferry Morse) and they have always produce fruit that demonstrated absolutely no streaking up to now. They had been grown in containers as well as in the main garden over that time. The taste has not changed. I really love to put stuff of different colors into our salads. It excites the eyes and makes the meal that much better.

Thanks to everyone for responding. Now I can just cut them up and freeze for winter eating. They'll add to the "presentation" of lots of dishes.

[Fusion_power]

There is at least a small chance they crossed with some other sweet pepper last year. Save a few seed and see what they do next year. Be sure to also save a few that are pure seed so you can grow both and compare.

DarJones

[ContainerTed]

Dar, I am way ahead of you. What would I call it if I can purify the bicolor traits??? The streaking reminds me of Rattlesnake Beans (Grew some this year). Maybe I'll call it "Sweet Rattlesnake Banana Pepper".
I'll get some fresh seed from the store for comparison next year. We grow and freeze lots of peppers of different colors/shapes to add to salads and stir-fries in the winter. Let me know if you want some of these seeds (this is not a general offer to everyone).