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Figure 1. 

Chromosomal localization of the LBD gene family and prediction of cis-acting elements in the promoter.

Figure 2. 

Phylogenetic tree of the LBD gene family sequence source (Supplementary Table S3).

Figure 3. 

The expression levels of CcLBD36 genes in different varieties of pepper. Note: All data is presented as the mean values of five biological replicates. Different lowercase letters denote significant differences at the 0.05 probability level. * Indicates p ≤ 0.05, ** indicates p ≤ 0.01, *** indicates p ≤ 0.001, and **** indicates p ≤ 0.0001. Abbreviations and units of the measured physiological and morphological parameters. Photo: Net photosynthetic rate (μmol CO₂ m⁻²·s⁻¹); Gs: Conductance to H₂O (mol H₂O m⁻²·s⁻¹); Ci: Intercellular carbon dioxide concentration (μmol CO₂ mol⁻¹); Trmmol: Transpiration rate (mmol H₂O m⁻²·s⁻¹). Morphological indicators: leaf length, leaf width, leaf circumference (unit: cm), and leaf area (unit: cm²). Photosynthetic pigments: chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and total chlorophyll content (unit: mg·g⁻¹).

Figure 4. 

The expression levels of CcLBD36 genes in capsicum under different hormone treatments. Note: ** indicates p ≤ 0.01, *** indicates p ≤ 0.001, and **** indicates p ≤ 0.0001.

Figure 5. 

The albinism map of the positive control (pTRV1-PDS) plants, and the phenotype, chlorophyll content, photosynthetic indicators, and expression level of the CcLBD36 gene of peppers under gene silencing treatment. Note: Different lowercase letters indicate significant differences in levels when p < 0.05. * Indicates p ≤ 0.05, ** indicates p ≤ 0.01, *** indicates p ≤ 0.001, and **** indicates p ≤ 0.0001. Abbreviations and units of the measured physiological and morphological parameters. Photo: Net photosynthetic rate (μmol CO₂ m⁻²·s⁻¹); Gs: Conductance to H₂O (mol H₂O m⁻²·s⁻¹); Ci: Intercellular carbon dioxide concentration (μmol CO₂ mol⁻¹); Trmmol: Transpiration rate (mmol H₂O m⁻²·s⁻¹). Morphological indicators: leaf length, leaf width, leaf circumference (unit: cm), and leaf area (unit: cm²). Photosynthetic pigments: chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and total chlorophyll content (unit: mg·g⁻¹).

Figure 6. 

Hormone content analysis of pepper leaf. Note: * indicates p ≤ 0.05, ** indicates p ≤ 0.01, *** indicates p ≤ 0.001, **** indicates p ≤ 0.0001.

Figure 7. 

Leaf anatomical structure and cellular phenotype analysis. Note: Ade indicates Adaxial epithelial cells; Abe indicates Abaxial epithelial cells; Pp indicates Palisade epithelial cells. * Indicates p ≤ 0.05, ** indicates p ≤ 0.01, *** indicates p ≤ 0.001, and **** indicates p ≤ 0.0001.

Figure 8. 

Schematic model of GA₃, IAA, tZ, IP and MeJA crosstalk regulating leaf photosynthetic efficiency upon CcLBD36 gene silencing. Note: Red upward arrows indicate up-regulated gene expression and increased hormone contents; blue downward arrows indicate decreased hormone contents; darker green indicates stronger leaf photosynthesis.