Abstract

Breeding efforts for fruit yield improvement in Capsicum annuum have gradually shifted from individual trait selection to simultaneous improvement of several traits which contribute to yield. The objectives of this research were to assess the correlation among quantitative characters and to determine stable pepper genotypes for fresh fruit yield in derived savanna ecology of Nigeria. Ten genotypes of C. annuumwere evaluated for three years under rainfed conditions using a randomized complete block design of three replications. The analysis of variance of the data collected showed significant differences among genotypes. The genotype x year (g x y) interaction was significant for most of the traits. Results of the correlation analysis showed significant positive correlations among traits, however some were negatively correlated. The yield stability analysis established four groups of yield stability conditions namely high yield and low variation, high yield and high variation, low yield and low variation and low yield and high variation. Three genotypes were in yield stability group 1 having high yield and low variation. This suggests stability of these genotypes to fluctuations in the random environment across years. Selecting stable genotypes and traits with high correlation among themselves and with fresh fruit yield would sustain high yield in C. annuum genotypes especially as yield components are complementary in action.

Key words: Genotype, character, stability, environment, correlation, Capsicum annuum.