Combining ability and heterosis for agronomic traits in chili pepper

Abstract

The Capsicum breeding has been developed with emphasis in bell pepper (Capsicum annuum) and few studies are available in other species, especially C. baccatum, which has potential use not only as disease resistance source but also in obtaining new genotypes suitable for farmers' production. In the present work, the combining ability of ten C. baccatum hybrids, along with their five parentals, were tested considering 12 agronomic traits. The hybrids were produced from a complete diallel without reciprocals and assessed in greenhouse conditions, in Campos dos Goytacazes, Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil, during the period July to December 2009. The experimental design was a randomized block with three replications and the following agronomic traits evaluated: canopy diameter (CD), plant height (PH), days to fructification (DF), number of fruits per plant (NFP), mean fruit weight (FW), dry fruit matter weight (FDM), dry matter content (DM), fruit length (FL), fruit diameter (FD), pulp thickness (PT), total soluble solids (TSS) and yield per plant (PP). Significant differences were observed only for general combining ability (GCA) in regard to PH, FW, FDM, DM, PT and TSS, indicating that additive effects were involved on the control of these characters. For CD, DF, NFP, FL, FD and PP, there was significance not only for GCA but also for specific combining ability (SCA) indicating that non-additive and additive effects were important in genetic control of these traits. The hybrids UENF 1629 X UENF 1732, UENF 1616 X UENF 1732 and UENF 1624 X UENF 1639 were considered superior because they have favorable agronomic traits.

Morphological characterization and analysis of genetic variability among pepper accessions

“…Many species of the Capsicum genus, are still poorly worked, from genetic improvement point of view (RODRIGUES et al, 2012). GONÇALVES et al (2008) decribed that the characterization can be morphological, phenotipical reproductive, biochemical, cytogenetic or molecular.…”

Determining the inheritance of agronomic traits in chili pepper

“…In Brazil, the C. baccatum var. pendulum is widely produced by small farmers, and red chili pepper (or "deer horn" chili pepper) and cambuci (or friar's hat chili pepper) are the most cultivated chili peppers for fresh consumption and for making sauces, potted chili peppers and dehydrated flakes (Moreira et al, 2006;Rêgo et al, 2009;Rodrigues et al, 2012). However, there is a lack of research on genetics and breeding, and consequently on the development of cultivars of this species.…”

“…However, there is a lack of research on genetics and breeding, and consequently on the development of cultivars of this species. Only 15 cultivars were registered in the National Registry of Cultivars (Registro Nacional de Cultivares -RNC) of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food Supply of Brazil (MAPA, 2013), with the majority belonging to private seed companies that lack of Capsicum breeding programs in the country (Rodrigues et al, 2012).…”

“…Characteristics such as productivity, resistance and/or tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses, plant architecture, earliness, ripe fruit persistence, as well as characteristics related to fruit quality are the targets of Capsicum breeding programs (Rêgo et al, 2011;Rodrigues et al, 2012). Obtaining adequate information on the nature and magnitude of the gene effects of these characteristics is of major importance for the identification of the most suitable method to be applied in the selection and prediction of responses of segregating generations for the development of cultivars of C. baccatum var.…”

“…pendulum is still scarce in the literature (Rêgo et al, 2009;Gonçalves et al, 2011;Rodrigues et al, 2012) when compared with C. annuum. The knowledge of that information is important for the decision making about the breeding methods to be used or about the size of population to be conducted during the implementation of the improvement program.…”