Heterosis Studies for Fruit Yield and Related Traits in Hot Pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) under Leaf Curl Virus Disease Severity Conditions

Abstract

Chilli leaf curl disease is a serious threat to summer crop of chilli in South India causing economic yield losses. Therefore, development of chilli hybrids having leaf curl tolerance and high yield is the present need in chilli growing regions. Seven high yielding lines were crosses with four resistant testers in line × tester mating design to produce 28 F 1 hybrids. Highest heterosis over better parent was exhibited by the cross L6 × T4 for fruit length (74.71%), by L4 × T3 for fruit girth (37.58%), by L6 × T1 for fruits plant -1 (37.86%), by L1 × T2 for fruit weight (51.64%) and by L3 × T2 for yield plot -1 (56.04%). Highest standard heterosis was exhibited by the cross L4 × T2 for fruit length (83.53%), L5 × T3 for fruit girth (45.26%), L6 × T1 for fruits plant -1 (90.60%), L1 × T2 for fruit weight (95.28%) and L3 × T2 for yield plot -1 (151.34%). Among the hybrids, L3 × T2, L1 × T1, L7 × T1 and L6 × T1 were showed high heterosis over high parent, mid-parent and standard check for yield and yield attributes. These hybrids could be utilized for future chilli improvement programme.