Selection among segregating pepper progenies with ornamental potential using multivariate analyses

Abstract

Peppers belong to the family Solanaceae and can be used for several different purposes. The use of morphological descriptors associated with multivariate techniques allows identifying pepper progenies that can be recommended for ornamental purposes. This study aimed to select segregating Capsicum annum progenies based on multivariate analyses. The study was conducted in a plant nursery at the Biotechnology and Plant Breeding Sector of the Center of Agricultural Sciences of the Federal University of Paraíba (CCA/ UFPB). Twenty F3 progenies of ornamental peppers were used, namely: UFPB 5, 8, 10, 15, 18, 22, 25, 32, 33, 36, 40, 42, 49, 56, 60, 62, 64, 69, 75, and 77, plus four additional controls consisting of the parents UFPB 77.3 and UFPB137 and two commercial cultivars, Etna and Pirâmide. Seventeen plant and fruit traits were evaluated. The experimental design was completely randomized. The data were subjected to a multivariate analysis of variance. All analyses were performed with the software R, version 3.0.3. The results of the multivariate analysis of variance highlighted significant differences between the populations of ornamental peppers. Singh’s (1981) method made it possible to determine that eleven of the seventeen traits studied contributed with 73.7% of the genetic divergence, whereas six traits contributed with only 21.2%. There is genetic diversity among the evaluated progenies. Progenies 5, 10, 22, 33, 49, and 69 are recommended for selection for having ornamental traits for in-pot cultivation. Selection within these progenies is recommended to continue the breeding program of ornamental peppers for in-pot cultivation.