STUDIES ON THE HETEROSIS AND COMBINING ABILITY IN CAPSICUM (Capsicum annuum)

Abstract

The experiment was conducted during the period from November 2011 to March 2012 at the research field of the Olericulture Division, Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute, Gazipur. A total of 5 parents (P 1 = ISPN 9-2, P = ISPN 9-1, P 3 = Yellow wonder, P 4 = Yellow star and P 5 2 = California wonder) with 10 hybrid of capsicum were used in the experiment. The experiment was laid out in two factors Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications. Mean performance, variability, correlation matrix, combining ability and heterosis analysis were done on yield and yield contributing characters, viz. days to 50% flowering, plant height, individual fruit weight at green stage, individual fruit weight at mature stage, number of fruits per plant, length of fruit, diameter of fruit, fruit yield per plant at green stage, fruit yield per plant at mature stage, fruit yield per hectare at green stage and fruit yield per hectare at mature stage. Significant variation was recorded for yield contributing characters and yield of capsicum. Fruit yield per plant at mature stage in terms of phenotypic variation (11247.04) was higher than the genotypic variance (10315.43) with high heritability (91.72%) for fruit yield per plant at mature stage attached with high genetic advance (256.79%) and high genetic advance in percentage of mean (43.04). Both additive and non-additive gene actions were important in governing the yield and its attributing components. Hybrids P 1 ×P 3 , P can be used in hybridization program in future based on highest heterosis.