Abstract: Pepper explant material is transformed by incubation with Agrobacterium cells carrying an exogenous DNA sequence. The pepper explant is preferably obtained from either the young embryonic cotyledon or the young expanded cotyledon, and transformed shoots are preferably induced directly in the explant material without passage through a callus phase. Whole transformed pepper plants may be regenerated from the transformed shoots by rooting and subsequent planting in the soil. The exogenous DNA will be stably incorporated into the chromosomes of the regenerated pepper plant which will be able to express gene(s) encoded by the DNA sequence. An improved method for regenerating pepper plants, without transformation, is also described. Regeneration to produce tetraploids is a further embodiment of this invention.