Abstract

There is limited information on the biochemical variability of black pepper genotypes in Ethiopia.  Dried fruit samples from 13 introduced black pepper accessions were used for biochemical analysis. All the determinants were done in triplicates.  Biochemical data ranged for essential oil between 1.70-3.60%; oleoresin, 8.30-12.15%; ash, 5.72-7.05%; acid insoluble ash, 1.97-4.06%; crude fiber, 13.61-17.96%; moisture, 7.62-10.14%; bulk density, 520.00-738.00 g/L; and piperine, 5.48-5.56%. Accessions differed significantly (P<0.05) in all characters except in oleoresin and piperine. The phenotypic coefficient of variability (PCV) values were relatively greater than genotypic coefficient of variability (GCV), for all traits; however, the GCV values were near to PCV values indicating high contribution of genotypic effect for phenotypic expression of these characters. Heritability in broad sense (h2B) ranged between 66.67-95.24, and genetic advance as percent of the mean (GAM) ranged from 0.79 to 71.84. High heritability coupled with high genetic advance for all characters (except for piperine), reflect the presence of additive gene action for the expression of these characters, and improving of these characters could be done through selection.

Key words:  Black pepper, genotypes, biochemical characters, variability, heritability.