What makes ornamental cayenne truly desirable? Revealing consumer-preferred traits through agronomic and preference assessment of F5 cayenne breeding lines

Cayenne development is not limited to improving production but also offers opportunities to reach new consumer markets through its aesthetic value. Consequently, cayenne cultivation can be directed towards both functional and ornamental purposes to bolster household food resilience. Therefore, this study aimed to identify the characteristics that make ornamental cayenne desirable to consumers by evaluating F5 cayenne breeding lines through complementary agronomic and consumer preference assessments of the ornamental cayenne. The study utilized Alpha Lattice design, involving 25 genotypes selected from a F4 generation alongside three check varieties, resulting in 28 combinations per replicate. The plants were grown in two replicates, each containing three incomplete blocks. Agronomic data were initially analyzed using Best Linear Unbiased Prediction (BLUP) under an alpha-lattice design, followed by correlation analysis. The correlated traits were transformed into family indices and fitness values, which were subsequently integrated through principal component analysis (PCA) and the Weighted Average of Absolute Scores (WAAS) to construct the agronomic index (AI) of each selected lines. Preference assessment involving 45 panelists who evaluated the visual appeal of the selected lines based on AI. The optimal agronomic traits identified for selection included canopy width, stem diameter, fruit number, and yield, all of which exhibited high heritability, which is crucial in fitness-WAAS selection. The fitness-WAAS analysis indicated that lines G25 (0.78) and G13 (0.46) had higher indices than the best check variety, Bara (0.44). Based on the standard deviation to relative check variety, six lines were recommended in the preference analysis, with line G25 (0.75) being the most promising, followed by the other five. These lines are recommended for yield potential evaluation and multi-location trials using a participatory breeding concept. Although further refinement through metabolomic, transcriptomic, and molecular analyses is required, this approach provides a systematic framework for selecting ornamental cayenne lines by integrating agronomic performance and consumer preferences while offering a preliminary indication of the visual characteristics preferred by panelists.