THE IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON PEPPER SEED QUALITY PARAMETERS DURING TWO YEARS

Pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) is a commercial crop grown worldwide. Seed quality, including seed health, is an important prerequisite for obtaining a healthy and high-quality crop and ensuring high fruit yields. Changes in the quality of the seeds of autochthonous varieties of pepper seeds: Palanačko Čudo, Somborka, and Dora were monitored from 2023 to 2024. Total germination was highest in the first observed year (2023). The Palanačko Čudo genotype had a total germination of 91%, which was statistically significantly different from Somborka (75%) and Dora (73%), respectively, between which there was no difference. The highest percentage of phytopathogenic fungus presence was detected in Palačanko čudo. While Fusarium spp. was not detected in the last observed year. A significant difference was observed in the overall germination rate in 2024, which was extreme in terms of temperatures, especially in the summer months.