Variability and association studies for yield and quality characters among bacterial wilt tolerant advanced breeding lines of bell pepper (Capsicum annuum L.)

Forty-three bell pepper genotypes collected from indigenous and exotic sources were evaluated during summer-rainy season, 2018 at Palampur to estimate genetic parameters of variability, heritability, genetic advance and correlation coefficient for yield and quality characters. Results revealed that significant variations were found among genotypes, indicating that yield and quality traits have enough variations. For all the traits studied, recorded values of phenotypic coefficients of variation (PCV) were greater than genotypic coefficients of variation (GCV). GCV was shown to be highest for marketable fruit yield per plant followed by capsanthin content and heritability was observed to be highest for capsanthin content followed by vitamin C. The three characters viz., marketable fruit yield per plant, capsanthin content, and vitamin C have shown high heritability coupled with high genetic advance as a percentage of mean suggesting the predominance of additive genetic control. High heritability coupled with moderate genetic advance was observed in pericarp thickness and TSS indicated the role of slightly additive gene action. Although TSS had a significant negative correlation with Vitamin C, the capsanthin content showed a positive correlation. Vitamin C and capsanthin content had a strong positive correlation with pericarp thickness; however, TSS had a significant negative correlation. There was no significant association between any of the quality parameters and marketable fruit yield per plant indicating that these traits can be improved independently.