Manifestation of heterosis for earliness, fruit yield, yield attributing characters. in sweet pepper

The field experiments were carried out at Central Research Farm, Gayeshpur, B.C.K.V, West Bengal during autumn-winter season of 2017-18 under side ventilated low cost poly house to evaluate Seven diverse Inbred lines (variety and breeding lines) of sweet pepper and their five F1 hybrids for characterization through various morphological, growth, yield and quality characters and for identification of best cross combination through analysis of heterosis for different characters. From the study, Mean sum of squares clearly suggested significant difference of the genotypes (parental genotypes and hybrids) for all the 18 characters excepting total chlorophyll content of fruit at matured green stage even at 1% level of significance which clearly endorsed the presence of wide genetic variability for the character concerned both among the parental genotypes and resultant hybrids. All the hybrids manifested negative heterosis over mid-parental value for days to 1st flowering. Four hybrids registered marked positive heterosis ranging between 28.91 and 46.50% over mid parent and between 2.99 to 38.67% over better parent for fruit yield per plant. Highest yielding hybrid, Baby Bell x C/4 did not register highest heterosis over neither mid-parent nor the better parent which suggested that both per se performance and manifestation of heterosis should be considered for the selection of promising hybrids. Two hybrids, Baby Bell x Ayesha and 8/4 x Royal Wonder manifested marked positive heterosis over the mid-parental value in case total chlorophyll content. Most of the hybrids registered marked positive heterosis in total sugar content ranging from 9.04 to 55.33 % over mid parental value and from 7.02 to 64.65 % over better parent. All the hybrids had fruits with higher reducing sugar content compared to the parental genotypes indicating dominance for the conditioning of this character. Three hybrids registered positive heterosis over mid-parent however, none manifested positive heterosis over the better parent in the case of Ascorbic acid content of fruit.