GENETIC VARIABILITY AND DIVERGENCE STUDIES IN CHILLI (Capsicum annuum L.)
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Date
2012-08
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University of Horticultural Sciences, Bagalkot
Abstract
An investigation on “Genetic variability and divergence studies in chilli
(Capcicum annuum L.)” was undertaken during kharif season of the year 2010-2011 at
Department of Vegetable Science, College of Horticulture Bagalkot, Karnataka with
50 genotypes collected from different sources. All 50 Genotypes showed significant
differences for all the 32 characters studied except for primary branches and secondary
branches at 120 days.
The estimates of GCV and PCV were moderate to high for all 32 characters
suggesting existence of sufficient variability in the genetic stock studied. High
heritability with high GAM was recorded for most of growth as well as yield characters
viz., number of fruits per plant, early yield, late yield and total yield indicating the
predominance of additive gene components in governing these traits. Thus, there is
ample scope for improving these characters based on direct selection from the genetic
stock studied.
The genotypic Correlation studies on yield and its component traits revealed that
total yield had highly significant and positive association with ascorbic acid (0.760),
total chlorophyll and plant spread (E-W) and (N-S), early yield, number of fruits per
plant, fruit length and plant height. The genotypic path analysis revealed that ascorbic
acid (0.760) and total chlorophyll (0.517) had strong direct effect on the fruit yield.
Plant height, plant spread (E-W), fruit length and early yield had strong positive indirect
effect on total yield via the total chlorophyll content.
Genetic divergence studies categorised the 50 genotypes into 6 distinct clusters.
The cluster I showed maximum intra cluster diversity (D2=6.69). Inter cluster distance
revealed the maximum divergence between clusters V and VI (D2=16.50). Chlorophyllb
content of fruits contributed maximum (28.98%) to overall genetic diversity followed
by chlorophyll a content. The genotypes Intermediate Capsicum, HC-0705, GC-07-03,
GPC-82 and SSD for green chilli yield and HC-0708, HC-070, ES-32-DPS-06-01 and
GC-0702 for dry chilli have been identified as promising genotypes, based on the perse
performance.