Genetic variability studies in chilli (Capsicum annuum L.)

The field experiment was conducted at the research field of Chilli and Vegetable Research Unit, Dr. Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth, Akola (MH) during Kharif season, 2023-24 with 20 genotypes of chilli (Capsicum annuum L.) in a Randomized Block Design with three replications to estimate the genetic variability and heritability and genetic advance for fourteen quantitative traits. Analysis of variance revealed highly significant difference among the genotypes for all the characters studied. The PCV was higher than the GCV for all the traits. High magnitude of PCV and GCV were observed for fruit yield plant-1 followed by oleoresin content, number of seeds fruit-1 and fruit diameter, while it was low for days to 50% flowering and days required for first picking. High heritability coupled with high genetic advance as percentage of mean were observed for oleoresin content, fruit yield per plant, number of seeds per fruit and number of fruits per plant, suggested that the predominance of additive gene action indicating better scope for improvement of these traits by an effective selection programme.