Comparison of In Vitro and Hydroponic Screening Methods for Nitrogen Efficiency in Pepper (Capsicum annuum L.)

In evaluations conducted under high and low nitrogen conditions, the morphological and physiological performance of pepper genotypes was compared across tissue culture and hydroponic systems. Under low nitrogen conditions, most genotypes showed similar rankings in both systems, indicating stable and environment-independent genotypic responses. Notably, 21 H-1-1, ERÜ 462, and ERÜ 457 consistently performed well across all traits, whereas 24-H-6, 29-H-10, and ERÜ 1248 ranked among the lowest-performing genotypes. In contrast, under high nitrogen conditions, genotypic performance varied more strongly depending on the cultivation system. Genotypes grown in tissue culture showed greater biomass accumulation and nitrogen uptake. While 21 H-1-1, ERÜ 462, and ERÜ 457 were among the top performers in tissue culture, their counterparts in hydroponic culture exhibited relatively lower performance. This indicates that system-specific effects play a more prominent role under high nitrogen supply. Considering both nitrogen levels, 21 H-1-1 and ERÜ 462 emerged as promising candidates for breeding programs due to their high nitrogen use efficiency and consistent performance across multiple environments. If a low-cost selection approach is desired, preliminary selection under low nitrogen conditions using tissue culture may be sufficient and effective for genotype differentiation.