Combining ability in bacterial wilt resistant chilli (Capsicum annuum L.) genotypes

Abstract

The experiment was conducted with five bacterial wilt resistant genotypes viz. Ujwala. Anugraha, VKC 2, VKC 11 and VKC 76 were crossed in diallel design without reciprocals to obtain ten F1 hybrids. The good general combiner for the number of fruits per plant and yield was Anugraha. Ujwala and Anugraha were found to be good general combiners for the content of phosphorus, calcium, magnesium and beta carotene. VKC 11 showed high general combining ability in fruit length, fruit girth, magnesium, iron, vitamin C and beta carotene. All the cross combinations showed earliness in flowering, Ujwala x VKC 11 were found best specific combiner for fruit width, fruit girth, average fruit weight, vitamin C and antioxidant activity. Ujwala x Anugraha was identified as best specific combiner for number of fruits per plant and green yield. The general and specific combining ability revealed that there was preponderance of non-additive gene action for plant height, number of branches, days to flower, days to harvest, days from flowering to harvest, fruit width, fruit girth, average fruit weight, yield per plant, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, iron and antioxidant activity. Number of fruits per plant, capsaicin, vitamin C and beta carotene were governed by additive gene action. All the hybrids were found resistant to bacterial wilt in the field as well as when inoculated artificially with the pathogen.