Fruit Yield and Quality Evaluation of Sweet Pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) F₁ Hybrids Derived from Inbred Lines

Sweet pepper inbred lines (KNU1003, KNU1006, KNU1007, KNU1009, KNU1015, KNU1017 and KNU2006) developed at Kangwon National University (KNU) through conventional means, inbred lines (5AVS1, 5AVS2, 5AVS3, 5AVS5, 5AVS7 and 5AVS8) collected at Rural Development Administration (RDA) and inbred lines (SP12, SP27 and SP14) derived from anther culture were used as female parents and anther culture derived homozygous lines (SP9, SP10, SP14, SP24, SP25, SP27, SP30, SP32, SP34, SP38, SP43, SP45 and SP51) were used as male parents to produce $F_1$ hybrids. A total of 37 $F_1$ hybrids were evaluated for fruit yield and quality characters in summer season, 2007. Variation in fruit number, fruit weight, fruit yield per plant and fruit volume was observed among the $F_1$ hybrids. Superiority on yield over standard/commercial varieties were differed among $F_1$ hybrids. Hybrid $5AVS8{\times}SP45$ exhibited highest heterosis over Special (16.5%) and Fiesta (24.7%). Fruit quality characters (fruit length, fruit width, pericarp thickness, total soluble solid, fruit shape and fruit color) were varied among the $F_1$ hybrids. Fruit number, fruit weight and fruit volume per plant were correlated with fruit yield. Based on the standard heterosis expressed by the hybrids and quality characters evaluation, $KNU1017{\times}SP27$, $5AVS1{\times}SP43$, $5AVS5{\times}SP27$, $5AVS8{\times}SP45$, $SP12{\times}SP38$ and $SP27{\times}SP25$ hybrids were found to be superior over commercial cultivars and are selected. Inbred lines of these hybrid combinations can be used to produce $F_1$ hybrid seed for commercial production.