GENETIC VARIABILITY, HERITABILITY AND CORRELATION STUDIES IN CHILLI (Capsicum annuum L.)

Genetic variability, heritability, genetic advance and correlation for different yield contributing characters were studied in 20 genotypes of chilli. Significant differences were observed among the genotypes for all the traits. The phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV) was higher than genotypic coefficient of variation (GCV) for all the traits. Traits like number of branches at 150 DAT, days to flower anthesis, number of fruits per plant, average fruit weight, ascorbic acid, capsaicin content and fruit length showed positive correlation with fruit yield per plant (g). While leaf curl incidence showed negative correlation at genotypic level. Genetic advance at 5% was found high for plant height after 150 DAT, number of fruits per plant, ascorbic acid and fruit yield per plant (g). Whereas, genetic advance as per cent of mean at 5% was noticed high for all the traits except days to flower initiation and days to first harvest. Number of fruits per plant exhibited the highest positive direct effect followed by days to flower anthesis, plant spread (N-S) at 150 DAT, ascorbic acid content, plant height at 150 DAT and fruit length at genotypic level. In view at the direct and indirect contributions of component traits towards fruit yield per plant, selection on the basis of horticultural traits viz., average fruit weight and number of fruits per plant would be a paying preposition in the genotypes included in the study.