International Journal of Plant & Soil Science

To measure the extent of heterosis and inbreeding depression in hot pepper, the study was conducted at Horticultural College and Research Institute, Periyakulam, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, India during the year 2012 -13, 2013- 14.  For effective initiation of study, six homozygous inbred lines of hot pepper along with their 30 hybrids and 30 F₂’s progenies derived from a 6 x6 full diallel set was used. The hybrids, K 1 x Arka Lohit (113.05%), LCA 625 x K 1 (104.42%), Pusa Jwala x K 1 (126.77%), Pusa Jwala x PKM 1 (140.83%) and K 1 x PKM 1 (109.13%) recorded superior amount of better parent heterosis, enlightening the involvement of non ­ additive genes. Considering the yield contributing characters, the above crosses showed the better results; hence they may forward to advanced generations. The crosses gave higher heterobeltiosis in F₁ which showed low inbreeding depression in F₂ generation.  The best performing progenies based on negative inbreeding was observed in K 1 x PKM 1 (-22.22%) and K 1 x Pusa Jwala (-22.08%) for yield and its contributing characters.  The results showed that in F₂ even after inbreeding depression, some promising segregants exhibited good performance and positive selection in such crosses can lead to further improvement. Significant and positive heterosis with low inbreeding depression for yield and yield related traits were exhibited by Pusa Jwala x PKM 1, LCA 625 x K 1 and K 1 x Arka Lohit. The segregating progenies identified in second generation may be utilized for the identification and selection of desirable recombinants in advanced generations in order to develop high yielding varieties with specific attributes.