Evaluation and Selection of Eleven Lines of Hot Pepper (Capsicum frutescens L.) at different spacing for seed yield and quality

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2013-12-02
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An experiment to evaluate and select new lines of hot pepper (Capsicum frutescens L.) for seed yield and quality was conducted at the Research fields of the Department of Horticulture, KNUST and the Crops Research Institute, Kwadaso, between May 2007 and November 2008. Eleven lines were multiplied and five best performed lines (ICPN16#3, ICPN16#4, ICPN16#6, ICPN16#7 and ICPN16#9) were selected and further evaluated, using spacing levels of 70cm x 30cm, 70cm x 40cm and 70cm x 50cm. The 5 x 3 factorial experiment was arranged in a randomized complete block design (RCBD). The results showed that, line ICPN16#4 which was a tall variety, produced narrow canopy, more branches, higher fruit yield and was among the lines with high germination percentage and seed vigour. Line ICPN16#9 was a short variety, produced more branches with medium canopy spread and early maturing. The same line gave the highest seed yield but was among those with lower germination percentage and seed vigour. Line ICPN16#3 had the highest percentage plant survival in the field. The widest spacing 70cm x 50cm produced the highest number of branches, wider canopy spread and shorter plants. The medium spacing 70cm x 40cm produced heaviest fruits and 70cm x 30cm produced longest fruits. Fruit and seed yields were highest in 70cm x 30cm spacing followed by 70cm x 40cm and 70cm x 50cm respectively. The interaction of variety and spacing was significant for most of the parameters studied. Line ICPN16#9 planted at 70cm x 40cm spacing was the first to attain 50% flowering in 25 days after transplanting whilst Line ICPN16#9 planted at 70cm x 50cm spacing interaction took 30 days to reach 50% flowering. Percentage plant survival was highest in ICPN16#9 and ICPN16#3 combinations with 70cm x 50cm. Line ICPN16#7 at 70cm x 50cm and 70cm x 40cm spacing produced heaviest fruits but longest fruits were produced from ICPN16#7 at a spacing of 70cm x 30cm. The line ICPN16#7 at 70cm x 50cm spacing produced the highest number of seeds per fruit. While ICPN16#4 at 70cm x 30cm produced the highest fruit yield per hectare, line ICPN16#9 at 70cm x 30cm produced the highest seed yield per hectare. The highest germination percentage and seed vigour occurred when ICPN16#6 was planted at 70cm x 40cm. The results on seed health revealed the presence of fungal pathogens including Penicillium, Fusarium solani, Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus niger, Collectotricum dematium, Rhizopus and Fusarium moniliforme on the seeds of all the lines regardless of the spacing used.
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A thesis submitted to the School of Graduate Studies, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in partial fulfilment of the requirement for the award of Master of Science degree in Seed Science and Technology, April-2013
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