Incorporation of bacterial wilt resistance in green chilly

Abstract

The present investigation on ‘Incorporation of bacterial wilt resistance in green chilli (Capsicum annuum L.)’ was conducted at the College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, Thrissur during October, 1993 – May, 1995. Ten popular green chilli varieties susceptible to bacterial wilt were crossed with two bacterial wilt resistant varieties viz. Manjari and Ujjwala, to develop twenty F1 hybrids. They were grown in a wilt sick field for evaluating bacterial wilt resistance and green chilli characteristics. All the F1 hybrids were susceptible/moderately susceptible to bacterial wilt. The F1 hybrides Manjari x Phule – 5, Ujjwala x LCA 305, Ujjwala x JwalaSakhi, Manjeri x jwalaMukhi and Ujjwala x DPLC – 1 were grouped under green chilli types. Line x tester analysis was performed to derive informations on general and specific cobbining ability effects, gene action and heterosis. Good general combiners were LCA 305 for plant height, plant spread and fruits/plant, JwalaSakhi for days to first harvest, average fruit weight and fruit perimeter and Phule – 5 for fruit yield/plant and fruit length. Good specific cobiners were Ujjwala x LCA 305 for plant height and days to flowering, Manjeri x Phule – 5 plant spread and fruit length, Manjeri x RHRC Clustering Erect for fruits/plant and fruit yield/plant and Ujjwala x JwalaSakhi for primary branches/plant and average fruit weight. Significant heterosis was observed for all the characters studied viz., plant height, plant spread, primary branches/plant, days to flowering, days to first harvest, fruits/plant, fruit yield/plant, average fruit weight, fruit length, fruit perimeter, seeds/fruit and pedicel length. Manjeri x Phule - 5 exhibited highest standard heterosis for fruits/plant and fruit yield/plant and relative heterosis for average fruit weight, fruit length and fruit perimeter. Ujjwala x JwalaSakhi showed high standard heterosis for average fruit weight and fruit perimeter. Manjeri x RHRC Clustering Erect exhibited maximum heterobeltiosis and relative heterosis for plant hight followed by Ujjwala x LCA 305. Manjeri X JwalaMukhi recorded highest negative value of relative heterosis for seeds/fruit and pedicel length. F2 segregants were evaluated for bacterial wilt resistance, green chilli characteristics and other yield attributes. The F2 segregant Ujjwala x JwalaSakhi recorded the highest mean performance for all the characters studied except days to first harvest and pedicel length. Considering bacterial wilt resistance and green chilli characteristics, the F2 segregants Ujjwala x JwalaSakhi, Manjeri x JwalaMukhi, Manjeri x JCA 283 and Ujjwala x LCA 305 were found promising which can be further selected for evolving green chillies resistant to bacterial wilt.