Breeding potential of morphological and phytochemical characteristics of landraces and autochthone varieties of Capsicum annuum L. in Republic of Serbia

Abstract

By maintaining a large number of local pepper genotypes, it is possible to preserve a large number of desirable genes that can be used in different pepper selection programs. The aim of this study was to classify a part of the collection of 15 genotypes (11 populations and 4 varieties originating from autochthonous populations) of peppers originating from Republic of Serbia. Morphological characteristics (weight, length, width, pericarp thickness, color before fruit ripening, shape and number of fruit chambers) and 10 phytochemical parameters of the fruit (carbohydrates, essential oils, ash, cellulose, beta carotene, potassium, iron, vitamin C, total phenols, antioxidant activity) were studied. Using statistical multivariate techniques (PCA and Cluster analysis), the degree of variation between local populations was assessed and diversity was determined based on the morphological and nutritional characteristics of pepper fruits. Morphological traits were determined using two main components that accounted for 70.3% of the variability. These components accounted for 49.8% of the variation in nutritional traits. The ‘Čokotanka’ population would be suitable for individual selection and reduced divergence within the population, since it has 6 tested traits that resulted in high diversity index. Populations ‘Stojankina kletva’, ‘Lalić’ and ‘Strižanka’ would be suitable for recombination of genes to improve the properties of individual selection programs for this vegetable species