Study of the Anther Culture and Comparison of GxE Models for Selection of Stable Genotypes in Chilli (Capsicum annuum L.)

Abstract

The present investigation consists of the study of anther culture and the study of comparison of GxE models for selection of stable genotypes in chilli (Capsicum annuu,n L. ). The materials were seven chilli varieties, viz., abbreviatum, annumm, acuminatum, nigra, co110ides, cerasiformis and fasciculatum which were tested for ten quantitative characters, such ns NSBMF, NSBFF, PHMF, NPI3FF, NPl3FF, LAMF, LAFF, NLMF, NPBMF and NLFF. Immature anthers of all the seven varieties were used as the main materials in the study of anther culture. MS basal medium supplemented with diITerenl combinations of cytokinins and auxins were used. All the seven varieties produced calli supplemented with 0.1 mg/I NAA + 0.1 mg/I 2-1D + 0.2 mg/I BAP. The range of callus induction was from 1.7 to 6.0%. Three varieties, viz. C. abbreviatum, C. annuum and C. fasciculatum responded well in calli formation in five different media among which abbreviatum was the best. In the study of the comparison of GxE models the range of variation was wide and pronounced for all the characters, indicating that there were genotypic diITerences among the varieties under study. For the analysis of stability, under three models, namely Eberhart and Russell's, Perkins' and Jinks' and Freeman and Perkins' were compared to select the stable genotypes. Following all the three models varieties abbrevialum for PHMF, acuminatum for NPBFF, ahbreviatum, annuum and cerasiformis for PHFF were found to be stable having unit regression co-efficient (bi), non significant deviation from regression ( S2 d,) and high mean perfonnances. Following Eberhart and Russell's model, the linear component in the joint regression analysis was found to be important. In Perkins' and Jinks' model both linear and non-linear components were found to be important. But in Freeman and Perkins' model, only non­linear component was significant.