Assessment of Genetic Variability based on Morphological and Biochemical Markers in Red Chilli (Capsicum annuum L.)

Author: Sunil K. Patel, Dipak A. Patel, Nil A. Patel, Rumit Patel, Jaimin M. Vadodariya and Ujjaval N. Patel

Download PDF

Abstract

Chilli (Capsicum annuum L.) with enormous industrial, therapeutic and export potential is an imperative vegetable and condiment crop of the world. The country is still lagging behind to attain the optimum productivity in dry chilli owing to the use of local unimproved cultivars. Therefore, much-concentrated efforts are necessary to improve its dry fruit yield, quality and host plant resistance against viral diseases. Hence, evaluation of the indigenous germplasm is essential because the promise for further improvement programmes. To examine the variability in red chilli, 30 chilli genotypes were evaluated for 13 morphological and six biochemical traits. Based on mean performance, the highest dry fruit yielding genotype ACS-08-09 was significantly superior to all others, followed by ACS-18-02 and ACS-18-08. The genotype Anand Tej (48.23%) followed by GP-93 (43.68%) and GAVC 112 (42.42%) exhibited higher powder recovery and thereby promising for red chilli powder. For the majority of the traits, the genotypes exhibited abundant diversity with enormous heritability (>60.20%). Fruits per plant, fruit length, dry fruit weight, dry fruit yield per plant, number of seeds per fruit, ascorbic acid content, capsaicin content, total phenol, total antioxidant activity and colour value demonstrated a high PCV than GCV, where estimates of PCV and GCV for days to 50% flowering and days to red ripe fruit maturity were found to be low. Both Genetic advance as per cent of mean and heritability were high for most of the traits except for days to red ripe fruit maturity, primary and secondary branches per plant, number of seeds per fruit and 1000 seed weight, indicating that most of the characters studied were mainly controlled by additive gene effect and thus selection may be effective.

Keywords

Chilli, Variability, Phenotypic coefficient of variation, Heritability, Genetic advance.

Conclusion

Based on mean performance, genotypes ACS-08-09, ACS-18-02 and ACS-18-08 are promising for dry fruit yield in chilli, whereas for powder recovery, Anand Tej followed by GP-93 and GAVC 112 were found superior genotypes and could be used in future breeding programme for improving yield and powder recovery per cent in red chilli, respectively. On the basis of the studies mentioned above, it can be inferred that the number of fruits per plant, fruit length, and dry fruit weight should all be given appropriate consideration when selection is imposed for genetic enhancement of dry fruit yield in chilli. Chilli is used as both green and dry hence for improvement in chilli germplasm especially for dry fruit, selection based on characters like days to red ripe fruit maturity, powder recovery percent and colour value is a prerequisite.

References

-

How to cite this article

Sunil K. Patel, Dipak A. Patel, Nil A. Patel, Rumit Patel, Jaimin M. Vadodariya and Ujjaval N. Patel (2022). Assessment of Genetic Variability based on Morphological and Biochemical Markers in Red Chilli (Capsicum annuum L.). Biological Forum – An International Journal, 14(4): 1283-1288.