Abstract: The composition and relative abundance of the microbial community in salted peppers were explored by 454 pyrosequencing technology, aiming to provide a theoretical basis for the isolation and screening of superior strains from salted peppers for the production of pickled peppers. The results showed that the bacteria in salted Capsicium annuum L. var. dactylus M could be assigned to 101 species in 94 genera in 31 families in 26 orders in 15 classes in 8 phyla. The bacteria in salted C. annuum L. var. conoides Irish could be assigned to 42 species in 58 genera in 44 families in 29 orders in 15 classes in 6 phyla. The dominant phyla in salted C. annuum L. var. dactylus M were Cyanobacteria (77.01%), Proteobacteria (14.78%) and Firmicutes (6.36%). The dominant phyla in salted C. annuum L. var. conoides Irish were Proteobacteria (51.5%) and Firmicutes (46.92%). A total of 19 genera with relative abundance greater than 1% were found in both varieties. The dominant genera in salted C. annuum L. var. dactylus M were Lactococcus (24.51%) and Rhizobium (13.17%). The dominant genera in salted C. annuum L. var. conoides Irish were Halanaerobium (38.99%), Marinospirillum (24.86%), Halomonas (9.67%) and Chromohalobacter (12.36%).

Key words: salted Capsicium annuum L. var. dactylus M; salted Capsicium annuum L. var. conoides Irish; 454 pyrosequencing; bacterial diversity