Mohan Rao, AHARITHA, BOLLINEDI2016-12-222016-12-2218-11-11Th-9908http://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/91997Considering that male sterile inducing cytoplasm of the hybrids is associated with susceptibility to biotic stresses as evidenced by devastation of Texas cytoplasm-based corn hybrids due to the outbreak of southern leaf blight, commercialization of cytoplasmic-nuclear male sterile (CMS) hybrids in chilli would be justified if CMS hybrids offer additional benefits either in terms of improved performance or they are comparable to conventional hybrids specially for defense traits. Under this premise, an investigation was carried out at the Experimental Plots, ‘K’ Block and Hot Pepper Improvement Unit, Department of Genetics & Plant Breeding, University of Agricultural Sciences, GKVK, Bengaluru during 2010 dry and rainy seasons, to assess the cytoplasmic effects in terms of parental gca effects, hybrid mean performance, sca effects and mid parent heterosis on fruit yield and its attributes and response to anthracnose in chilli. Sixty iso-nuclear alloplasmic hybrids {synthesized involving two CMS (A) lines, their counterpart fertile (B) lines and ten restorer (R) lines} which included 20 each of A × R, B × R & R × B crosses, were evaluated for fruit yield and its attributes and reaction to anthracnose (as assessed by the size of the lesion caused by the pathogen upon artificial infection following microinjection method using Hamilton Micro Syringe). The significance or otherwise of differences between pair-wise comparison among A × R, B × R & R × B crosses was considered as evidence for cytoplasmic influence or otherwise, respectively. Cytoplasmic influence on parental gca effects, hybrid mean performance, sca effects and mid-parent heterosis varied with trait as well as nuclear genetic background of the crosses. However, there was no definite trend favoring or otherwise any particular cytoplasm. Where detected, the magnitude of cytoplasmic influence was minimal with little practical significance.en---Thesis