Genetic divergence of hot pepper lines (Capsicum spp.) in hybrid combinations

Breeding programs for developing new genotypes emphasize earliness, fruit quality, yield potential, resistance to economically significant diseases, tolerance to abiotic stress, and plant morphology. Hybrids offer numerous advantages over varieties, including higher yields, fruit uniformity, resistance to plant pathogens, and the manifestation of heterosis. These are the primary reasons for initiating research on hybrid combinations of hot peppers. This study aimed to develop a hybrid hot pepper capable of meeting market demands. Seven experimental pepper hybrids were created by crossing the ms line HM5 (nuclear male sterility) as the female parent with seven pure lines (LHP 1-7) as the male parents, producing seeds of hybrid combinations. In 2023, a randomized block design experiment with three replications of 40 plants each was conducted in a greenhouse at the Institute for Vegetable Crops Smederevska Palanka. Harvesting was performed at the technological maturity stage. The most important morphological fruit traits and dry matter content (DMC) were analyzed on 10 fruits (kapya type) from each hybrid combination. The results revealed that hybrid combinations had a statistically significant impact on parameters such as fruit weight, length, width, pericarp thickness and DMC. The hybrid HM5xLHP6 showed the highest fruit weight (119.70 g), HM5xLHP4 exhibited the longest fruit (18.26 cm), while HM5xLHP1 and HM5xLHP3 demonstrated the largest fruit width (6.02 cm) and pericarp thickness (5.2 mm) respectively. High DMC values were recorded for HM5xLHP7 and HM5xLHP5 (10.5% and 9.40%). The number of fruits per plant (11.40-16.80) and the number of chambers (2) were consistent across hybrids, with no statistically significant differences observed. By comparing market-available varieties with hybrids, which are still limited in number, the results of this study highlight the superiority of hybrids for cultivation in greenhouse. Hybrids demonstrated justified economic effects for both fresh consumption and industrial processing.