Genetic Variation, Association of Characters, and their Contributions for Improvement in Bell Pepper (Capsicum annuum L. var. grossum Sendt.)

Forty six genotypes of bell pepper were evaluated during the summer rainy season of 2015 at CSKHPKV, Palampur to study the extent of genetic variability, determine the association between different characters, understand the direct and indirect effects of component traits on marketable fruit yield, and identify desirable genotypes. Sufficient genetic variability was observed for all horticultural traits studied; that is, days to 50 per cent flowering, days to first picking, plant height, primary branches per plant, harvest duration, fruit length, fruit width, pericarp thickness, lobes per fruit, average fruit weight, fruit yield per plant, fruits per plant, marketable fruit yield per plant and marketable fruits per plant. On the basis of mean performance, the progenies P-30, P-39 P-33, P-11 and P-28 were the highest yielder. The phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV) indicated higher values than genotypic coefficient of variation (GCV) for all the traits, indicating close association between phenotype and genotype. High heritability estimates along with high genetic advance were recorded for average fruit weight, fruit yield per plant and marketable fruit yield per plant indicating the role of additive gene action for their inheritance. Harvest duration and fruit width had high heritability estimates along with low genetic advance, indicating non-additive gene activity, and these could be improved through hybridization The maximum direct effect on marketable fruit yield per plant was exhibited by marketable fruits per plant, average fruit weight and fruit width, whereas days to 50 per cent flowering and marketable fruits per plant had negative direct effects. Adequate genetic variability was present within bell pepper germplasm to aflow breeding improvement of marketable yield.