RESUMO: O objetivo deste trabalho foi identificar as relações entre as variáveis morfológicas e produtivas das plantas de pimentão provenientes de sementes com diferentes níveis de qualidade fisiológica. Os experimentos foram conduzidos em ambiente protegido na Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (UFSM), no delineamento blocos ao acaso, com oito repetições. Os tratamentos consistiram de três lotes de sementes do híbrido Tiberius e um lote da cultivar Rubi Giant nas estações de cultivo primavera-verão e outono-inverno, com diferentes níveis de qualidade fisiológica com base nos testes de germinação e vigor. Foram mensurados os seguintes caracteres (variáveis): altura de planta; altura da primeira bifurcação; diâmetro do caule; diâmetro do caule abaixo da primeira bifurcação aos 50, 70 e 90 dias após o transplantio; peso médio de frutos; produção média de frutos por colheita; produção total; comprimento médio de frutos; e largura média de frutos. A seguir, para cada nível de vigor, foi estimada a matriz de correlação de Pearson, o diagnóstico da multicolinearidade e, posteriormente, a análise de trilha, considerando a produção total de frutos como variável principal. As plantas obtidas a partir de sementes de vigor alto, médio e baixo, com maior diâmetro da primeira bifurcação aos 50 e 90 dias após o transplantio, são mais produtivas na estação de cultivo primavera-verão. No outono-inverno foram verificados coeficientes de correlação e efeitos diretos de baixa magnitude para todos os níveis de vigor, indicando fraca relação de causa e efeito das variáveis explicativas mensuradas sobre a produção total de frutos de pimentão. | ABSTRACT: This study aimed to identify the relationship between morphological variables and production variables in bell pepper plants derived from seeds of different physiological levels. The experiments were carried out in a randomized block design with eight replications in a protected setting at Universidade Federal de Santa Maria. Treatments included three lots of hybrid Tiberius seeds and one lot of Rubi Giant seeds during Spring-Winter and Autumn-Winter season with different levels of physiological quality as shown by vigor and germination tests. The following characters (variables) were measured: plant height, first fork height, stem diameter, and stem diameter below the first fork after 50 days, 70 days and 90 days of transplanting, average weight of fruits, average production per harvest, total production, average fruit length, and average width of fruits. Next, for each level of vigor was estimated the correlation matrixes, multicollinearity diagnosis, and then path analysis, considering the total production as the main variable.Plants derived from high-, low- and medium vigor seeds whose first fork diameters were greater after 50 days and 70 days of transplanting are more productive during Spring-Winter seeding. Coefficients of correlation and effect of low magnitude were identified in vigor levels (being high, low, medium, and extremely low) during Autumn-Winter season, indicating a weak relationship between cause and effect of explanatory variables measured on total fruit production of bell pepper.

This study aimed to identify the relationship between morphological variables and production variables in bell pepper plants derived from seeds of different physiological levels. The experiments were car-ried out in a randomized block design with eight replications in a protected setting at Universidade Federal de Santa Maria. Treatments included three lots of hybrid Tiberius seeds and one lot of Rubi Giant seeds during Spring-Winter and Autumn-Winter season with different levels of physiological quality as shown by vigor and germination tests. The following characters (variables) were measured: plant height, first fork height, stem di-ameter, and stem diameter below the first fork after 50 days, 70 days and 90 days of transplanting, average weight of fruits, average production per harvest, total production, average fruit length, and average width of fruits. Next, for each level of vigor was estimated the correlation matrixes, multicollinearity diagnosis, and then path analysis, considering the total production as the main variable.Plants derived from high-, low- and medium vigor seeds whose first fork diameters were greater after 50 days and 70 days of transplanting are more produc-tive during Spring-Winter seeding. Coefficients of correlation and effect of low magnitude were identified in vigor levels (being high, low, medium, and extremely low) during Autumn-Winter season, indicating a weak relationship between cause and effect of explanatory variables measured on total fruit production of bell pepper.