Hybrid seed production and breeding methods in Chilli

Capsicum annuum

• Introduction:

• Chilli is a self-pollinated crop but cross-pollination also takes place to some extent. It is suggested
that to obtain pure seeds, the two cultivars may be kept 250-400 m apart to avoid any cross-
pollination. Good, healthy and well-developed fruits should be selected for producing seeds
• Seeds can be extracted from healthy and well-developed fruits.
Centre of Origin : Mexico

Chromosome Number
Capsicum species are diploids, with most having 24 chromosomes but with several
wild species having 26 chromosomes

Belongs to family – Solanaceae

 Seed Production

• The breeding methods hitherto adopted in chilli varied from Introduction, Mass selection,
Reciprocal recurrent selection, etc., Back crossing and Mass-pedigree method of selection
might prone useful in chilli.
• Inter and Intra crossing among groups of chili cultivars might enable the breeders to get a
large no. of recombinants for simultaneous improvement.
• Evolution of cultivars to suit both internal and export markets, wider adaptability and
quality viz., better pod colour and shape, high Capsaicin, carotene and ascorbic acid
content.
• Cultivars which are early determinate and compact with shorter flowering phase have to be
developed
• Resistance breeding needs emphasis for breeding lines resistant to viruses (TMV, leaf curl,
potato mosaic etc.,), Thrips, Fruit rot and nematodes.
 Hybrid Vigour

• The experience on the possibility of exploiting the hybrid vigour and heterosis in chilli has
shown considerable promise and work in this respect involving intervarietal crosses needs to
be emphasised.
• The identification of male-sterile lines like G2 indicated the feasibility of hybrid seed
production.
• The present interest on exploitation of heterosis is an encouraging trend in chilli improvement
even though hybrid sweet peppers have been common with growers.
• The genetic base of chilli is large and large no. of unexploited cultivars still exists.
• The yield components are generally involved in increasing the yield of chilli hybrids but the
no. of fruits per plant tended to be the most important contributory character towards higher
yield.
 Steps Involved in Hybrid Seed Production

Raising of hybrid seed is not very difficult.

The technique for doing emasculation and hybridization are very simple

1. Emasculation
2. Hybridization Technique
 Emasculation

• Emasculation may be done either early in the morning or in the previous evening
before the flowers open and calyx are still covering the anthers and stigma.
• With the help of a pair of forceps, the petals are easily peeled and anthers are
removed and bagged.
• If there is no intention of doing any emasculation on the following 1 or 2 days,
all un opened buds, which are likely, to open on these days must be removed and
the whole plant covered with a muslin cloth bag
 Hybridization Technique

• Late in the morning or early in the afternoon of the flowering day, fresh flowers should
be plucked from intended male parent which have been previously bagged and pollen
dusted on the stigmas of emasculated flowers.
• The pollen is dry and powdery and easily dislodged from the anthers with a gentle
shake.
• To facilitate pollination, the petals of the pollen flowers may be cut off.
• After pollination, the bags should be replaced and labels denoting details of parents and
date of pollination should be tied outside the bag.
• Crossing is generally found to be successful when the plant is in full bloom and natural
setting is high crossing should be avoided as far as possible during cloudy weather as
setting is very low in such conditions.
Breeding behaviour and Genetics

The breeding behaviour of cultivated pepper was well understood besides recognition of 5
species of Capsicum viz., C. annum, C. fruitescens, C. pubescens, C.Pendulum and C. chinese.

Crossing Behaviour example

C. annum x C. fruitescens

• In general, about 2 % of the seeds were viable when fruitescens was used as female parent.
The F1 plants ranging from completely pollen sterile to partially fertile were obtained.
• Backcross to both parents had been obtained between both F2 and back cross plants showed
much pollen sterility.
• The L gene for tobacco mosaic resistance was successfully transferred from frutescens to
annum.
• The transfer of resistance to the tobacco etch virus from fruitescens has also been reported.
 PLANT INTRODUCTION

• It is introducing a plant into new regions from its growing locality.

• Proper management is very important.
• Material which is to be introduced should not carry any pest and disease.

MASS SELECTION

• It refers to the selection of superior plants on the basis of phenotype from a mixed
population.
• Their seeds are bulked & used to raise the next generation.
Merit:
• Mass selected varieties provide good protection against diseases.
• Mass selected varieties are more stable in performance than pure line varieties.
Demerits:
• Progeny test is not carried out.
• The product is less uniform than pure line.

PURE-LINE SELECTION
Merits:
• Isolate best genotypes.
Demerits:
• Do not develop new genotype.
• Have poor adaptability due to narrow genetic base.