Genetic Analysis of Quantitative Traits in Pepper (Capsicum annuum)

Inheritance of 10 quantitative traits related to plant and fruit development was studied in an intraspecific cross between a bell-type `Maor' [ Capsicum annuum L. var. annuum (Grossum Group) `Maor'] and a small-fruited pungent chilli line `Perennial' [ C. annuum var. annuum (Longum Group) `Perennial']. Estimates of broad- and narrow-sense heritabilities, coefficients of genetic variance, and genotypic correlations were obtained from the segregation of 120 F 3 families in 2 years. Three of the traits analyzed, days to first ripened fruit, plant height, and pedicel length, exhibited heterosis and transgressive segregation. Days to first ripened fruit and total soluble solids had low narrow-sense heritabilities. The other traits studied had moderate to high narrow-sense heritability estimates. Most of the genetic variation associated with traits that affect the size of the fruit and its shape was additive. The highest genetic correlation coefficients among pairs of traits were found between fruit weight and each of the three width characters: fruit diameter, pericarp thickness, and pedicel diameter. In contrast, fruit weight had a low correlation coefficient with fruit length, indicating that the size of the pepper fruit in this cross was determined primarily by its width.