Agro-morphological and nutritional variability among elite Nsukka yellow spice pepper breeding lines. Issue 5 (2nd September 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Anyaoha, Christian Okechukwu; Ademoyegun, Olufemi. T.; Afuape, Solomon O.
• Is Part Of: International journal of vegetable science. Volume 26:Issue 5(2020)
• Page Start: 516
• Page End: 531
• Publication Date: 2020-09-02
• Subjects: Capsicum annuum -- genotypic variability -- capsaicin -- β-carotene -- morphological characterization; Vegetables -- Periodicals; Vegetables -- Research -- Periodicals; 635
• DOI: 10.1080/19315260.2019.1667470
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1931-5260

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Understanding variability among elite Nsukka yellow spice pepper ( Capsicum annuum L) breeding lines for nutritional and phenotypic traits is important if improvement programs are to deliver improved varieties and nutrition. Much like phenotypic traits, diversity exists for most nutritional characters in pepper. Newly developed yellow spice pepper genotypes (Habanero) were evaluated for morphological and nutritional variability. Seed of pepper breeding lines were planted under field conditions in May 2017 and 2018. Data were collected from mature fruit for 8 qualitative and 12 quantitative traits. There was variability in morphological and nutritional traits among breeding lines. Average number of fruit per plant, fruit weight, yield per plant and vitamin C content had the highest predicted genetic gain; fruit weight and vitamin C content combined high genetic gain with high heritability estimates. Average fresh yield per plant exhibited high, positive, correlation with the number of fruit per plant, but was negatively correlated with plant height, and average vitamin C and β-carotene content. Weak, negative, correlations occurred between fruit size and capsaicin content of ripe fruit. Availability of genetic variance combined with high heritability estimates, complemented by moderate to high genetic advance for most traits in this population, can be exploited through recurrent selection to develop high yielding adaptable pepper varieties with enhanced fruit quality that meet demands of local and export markets.