Randomized complete block trial demonstrates high heterosis and yield potential in experimental bell pepper hybrids, indicating substantial genetic divergence for breeding programs.
Key Points
Evaluate experimental bell pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) hybrids derived from single plant-to-plant crosses to determine heterosis and heterobeltiosis for yield, quality, and morphological variables.
Evaluated 16 treatments—four F5 parental lines (L1, L6, L9, and L11) and 12 generated hybrid crosses—under greenhouse conditions using a randomized complete block design with three replications.
Quantified morphological parameters, total yield, fruit number per plant, average fruit weight, diameter, and length to compute standard heterosis and heterobeltiosis estimates.
The L9×L1 cross demonstrated the greatest yield heterosis (19.98%) and heterobeltiosis (30.06%), as well as the highest heterosis (21.10) and heterobeltiosis (3.55) for fruit count per plant.
Fruit dimensions and weight varied by cross, with L6×L9 recording the highest average fruit weight heterobeltiosis (55.12), L9×L11 leading fruit diameter heterobeltiosis (17.85), and L11×L6 showing the highest fruit length heterobeltiosis (25.03).
Significant maternal effects directly altered hybrid performance across morphological and yield metrics, establishing that cross direction is critical for exploiting genetic divergence.