Genetic analysis of agro-economic traits in chillies (Capsicum annuum)

Abstract

The investigation was carried out in the vegetable Research Farm in Department of Horticulture, Allahabad Agricultural Institute-Deemed University, Allahabad during 2006-2007 to evaluate the performance of 20 geno-types in Allahabad agro-climate condition. All twenty genotypes were grown in a Randomized Block Design with 3 replication. The observations were recorded on 14 quantitative traits and 3 qualitative traits, i.e., plant height 100 days, 120 days, days to 1st flowering, days to 50 % flowering, days to 1st green fruit harvest, average fruit length, average fruit diameter, average green fruit yield/plant, days to 1st red ripe fruit harvest, average weight of red ripe fruit yield, number of seeds/fruit, weight of seeds/ fruit, ascorbic acids, oleoresin (%) and capsaicin content (%). Significant differences among genotypes for all the of the traits showed wide range of variability in the material. The estimate of phenotypic coefficient of variation was higher than the genotypic coefficient of variation for almost all the traits. Both heritability and genetic advance were higher for days to 50 % flowering, average green fruit yield, days to first ripe fruit harvest, no, of seeds /fruit, weight of seeds/fruit and oleoresin content. The magnitude of genotypic correlation was higher than the phenotypic correlation for all the characters. The most important trait total yield per plant was significantly and positively correlated with green fruit yield, fruit length and fruit diameter, weight of red ripe fruit. no of seeds/fruit, weight of seeds/ fruit, ascorbic acid, oleoresin, and capsaicin content. The important traits green fruit yield was significantly and negatively correlated with days to flowering, days to 50 % flowering, days to first green fruit harvest and days to ripe fruit harvest. Number of seeds/fruit, weight of seeds/ fruits, average weight of green fruit, and ascorbic acid had positive direct effect on yield at both and phenotypic levels. Based on performance SM-20, JCA-9, Pusa Jawala, Utakal Ragini and Kashi anmol exhibited high fruit yield per plant. Among all the genotypes SM-20 was found to be with highest yield, i.e., 168.42 g per plant.