Keywords

4.1 Introduction

The first breeders of the genus Capsicum were the indigenous peoples of the Americas, who domesticated the Capsicum species (Heiser 1979) through selection, developing many types of the fruits that exist today, such as the peppers called jalapeño, serrano, and ancho.

In Brazil, C. baccatum, C. chinense, C. annuum, and C. frutescens are the species most commonly sold (Lannes et al. 2007; Rêgo et al. 2012a). The botanical varieties in Brazil are well known and receive different names from those of the extern international market, for example, Malaguetas, Malaguetinha, Malaguetão, or Malagueta-amarela (C. frutescens); pimenta-de-cheiro, pimenta-bode, Cumari-do-pará, Biquinho, or Murupi (C. chinense); Doce, Bola, or Cereja (C. annuum); Dedo-de-moça, Cambuci, Chapéu-de frade, or Chapéu-de-bispo (C. baccatum cv. pendulum); and Cumari (C. baccatum cv. bacctatum and C. baccatum cv. praetermissum; Casali and Couto 1984; Rêgo et al. 2012a), which are the types most commonly found in open markets to be consumed as fresh as dried spice. The most common cultivar of Pimenta-doce is Agronômico 11, with nonpungent, elongated fruits 18 cm in length (Casali and Couto 1984; Rêgo et al. 2012a). Cereja’s fruits are round and small and may or may not be pungent. Pimenta-de-mesa is the common name for dwarf colored plants for ornamental uses (Rêgo et al. 2009a).

The breeding of peppers has been performed via mass selection in African species, and, recently, some breeders have given emphasis to the use of hybridization in breeding programs (Tavares 1993; Geleta and Labuschagne 2004a; Patil and Salimath 2008; Rêgo et al. 2009b, 2012b, c, 2015a; Nascimento et al. 2014; Ferreira et al. 2015; Fortunato et al. 2015).

The great challenge today is to select high-yield cultivars resistant to pests and diseases, protect them against biotic and abiotic stresses, and improve their fruit quality, according to the purpose for use in industry or for fresh consumption. Peppers have a great breeding potential in terms of nutrition , because of their high content of vitamins A and C, carotenoids, and capsaicin. In recent years, peppers have stood out in the market of ornamental plants (IBPGRI 1983; Poulos 1994; Bosland and Votava 2003; Bontempo 2007; Rêgo et al. 2009a, b, 2011a; Barroso et al. 2012).

Each type of pepper, depending on market type, fruit or plant, has a number of traits that makes it commercially acceptable (Bosland and Votava 2003; Poulos 1994; Rêgo et al. 2009a, b; Table 4.1). Some traits are more difficult to manipulate than others, as is the case of pungency content (Zewdie and Bosland 2000, 2001).

Table 4.1 Objectives of breeding for fruit and plant quality according to the type of consumption
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To achieve their goals, breeders adopt available breeding methods . The breeding methods employed on autogamous plants, such as pepper, usually involve hybridization in the production of new sources of variability. In populations with high variability, on the other hand, selection-based methods may be utilized. For a breeding program to be successful, however, the breeders must know the genetics of the traits of interest and the compatibility within and between species (Allard 1971; Fehr 1987; Rêgo et al. 2009a, b, 2011a, 2012b, c, 2015b; Nascimento et al. 2014; Ferreira et al. 2015; Fortunato et al. 2015).

Continuous breeding aimed at production and quality depends on the incorporation of new allelic forms into the new cultivars. It is not yet known, however, which alleles will be useful in future commercial varieties until the need arises (Hancock 1992; Allard 1971; Fehr 1987; Nascimento et al. 2014). In the hybridization-based breeding methods, the selection of parents is a critical step. In general, parents are chosen based on their performance and on the complementarities among them (Allard 1971).

Another important factor to be taken into account in a breeding program is the available germplasm. Several countries of Latin America, among them Brazil, are considered to give top priority to the Capsicum germplasm collection (IBPGRI 1983).

The few Active Germplasm Banks of Capsicum in Brazil usually contain more varieties of domesticated species, although wild species are a source of resistance genes (Bianchetti and Carvalho 2005). The Active Germplasm Banks of pepper in Brazil belong to the Federal University of Paraíba (BAG-UFPB, Areia-PB), Federal University of Viçosa (BAG-UFV, Viçosa-MG), State University of Norte Fluminense (BAG-UENF, Campos dos Goytacazes-RJ), Instituto Agronômico de Campinas (BAG-IAC, Campinas-SP), and Embrapa Vegetables (Brasília-DF). In the following sections we further detail these aspects, showing the main results found by different research groups in Brazil and in the world.

4.2 Genetics

4.2.1 Genetic Variability

The first list of genes of the genus Capsicum contained 50 genes, and the rules of nomenclature and standardization of genes was determined by Lippert et al. (1965). Daskalov and Poulos (1994) and the Committee of Capsicum and Eggplant Newsletter expanded this list and described protocols for names and symbols. Recently, Wang and Bosland (2006) have conducted a review describing 292 genes for the genus.

Cytogenetic studies on the structure and morphology of chromosomes have been conducted by several authors since 1940, as seen in a previous chapter. The DNA content of the different species, however, was determined by Belletti et al. (1998).

The genetic variability of morphoagronomic traits, within and between accessions from the germplasm bank and of commercial varieties, has been the focus of many studies, for example, Inoue and Reifschneider (1989), Rêgo (2001), Rêgo et al. (2003), Sudré et al. (2005), Rêgo et al. (2011b, c), Nascimento et al. (2014), Silva Neto et al. 2014; Pessoa et al. 2015; and Nascimento et al. 2015; Rêgo et al. 2015a, b.

The phenotypic variability within the line, as a consequence of natural hybridization, is often found in elite lines in a breeding program or in released cultivars. The cross-pollination rate in the Capsicum species is not always known. In practice, it is easy to find contamination of sweet-pepper fields from the crossing with pungent peppers over generations of uncontrolled pollination. A way to prevent cross-pollination is to cover the plants individually with organza (Fig. 4.1) (Rêgo 2001), with fabric cages for more than one plant (Bosland 1993), or even glue the flower bud when it is in preanthesis (Fig. 4.2; Rêgo et al. 2012d).

Fig. 4.1
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Controlled self-pollination of the Capsicum species (Source: Rêgo 2001)

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Fig. 4.2
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Stages of self-pollination : (a, b) identification of the bud; (c, d) bud gluing; (e) bud with glue; (f) bud after 3 days; (g) bud after 5 days; (h) fruit in intermediate stage (Rêgo et al. 2012d)

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4.2.2 Hybridization and Compatibility

Hybridization is an important factor in the evolution of plants as a source of new genetic combinations and as a mechanism of speciation. This procedure is also utilized to insert genes that provide desirable traits to cultivated plants (Cruz and Regazzi 1994; Gonçalves et al. 2011). According to Nascimento et al. (2012b), hybrids are, in general, more stable, uniform, and productive than cultivars from open pollination, for most traits.

Hybridization within pepper species , involving different types or cultivars, has not been explored much (Legg and Lippert 1966; Rêgo et al. 2009b). According to Rêgo et al. (2012d), among the factors contributing to the restriction of the use of hybridization in the breeding of Capsicum are the difficulty to handle the flowers and the low production of seeds per fruits. The steps for the manual crosses are shown in Fig. 4.3.

Fig. 4.3
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Manual crossing in Capsicum. Stages: (a, b) emasculation; (c) emasculated bud; (d) pollination, exhibiting the full flower; (e) covered bud; (f) labeled fruit (Rêgo et al. 2011d)

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The hybridization between varieties of a same species, in general, produces the sufficient amount of seeds. Although some intraspecific crosses show a low percentage of fruit set, around 20 % (Nascimento et al. 2015a, b, c, d). Contrastingly, seeds originating from interspecific crosses are harder to obtain due to the incompatibility and/or incongruity of crosses (Bosland and Votava 2003; Costa et al. 2009; Rêgo et al. 2011d; Nascimento et al. 2012).

Nascimento et al. (2012) demonstrated that the cross between C. annuum and C. chinense has a varied fruit set rate (0–29 %). Costa et al. (2009) obtained crossing rates varying from 8.88 to 40 % between these two species. Nascimento et al. (2012) and Nascimento et al. (2015b) also demonstrated reciprocal effects on the fruit set rate of crosses and on the number of seeds formed, in intra- and interspecific crosses. Barroso et al. (2015) showed the importance of seed quality in the establishment and development of Capsicum plants. These authors highlighted low heritability values and epistatics effects for germination at 14 days. On the other hand Medeiros et al. (2015) found high heritability values of traits related to germination and only additive effects for seed germination in vitro.

4.2.3 Male Sterility

Male sterility (MS) was first described by Martin and Crawford (1951) and soon after by Peterson (1958), working with C. annuum. Male sterility is a trait of interest in the breeding of Capsicum, as it is easier to obtain hybrids due to the absence of viable pollen in the flower (Shifriss and Frankel 1969; Corrêa et al. 2007; Monteiro et al. 2011). Genetic male sterility (GMS) and cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) were described by Shifriss (1997). The former is determined by a series of recessive alleles (ms), which can interact with a plasma gene S (Shifriss 1973; Shifriss and Frankel 1969). More than a dozen MS alleles have been described. These are natural mutants, or obtained by mutagenesis (Shifriss 1997). Producing and maintaining a male-sterile line is a hard task and, thus, its use is limited (Daskalov and Mihailov 1988). These same authors studied the CMS. However, this system is unstable and can generate fertile pollen in some conditions (Shifriss and Frankel 1971). Fertility can be easily restored through backcrosses with one or both parents. Details on how to keep males sterile and restore fertility can be viewed in Shifriss (1997).

4.2.4 Maternal Effects, Heritability, and Combining Ability of Quantitative Traits in Capsicum

4.2.4.1 Maternal Effects

Rêgo (2001) performed analyses of reciprocal effects in Capsicum baccatum utilizing 28 hybrids and their reciprocals. These authors evaluated 14 fruit-quality and morphoagronomic traits and, based on the tests utilized, reciprocal effects were detected in all fruit and morphoagronomic traits. In contrast, no parent showed significant differences in more than 50 % of the crosses, which showed the importance of these maternal effects on these traits, except for pericarp thickness. According to Rêgo et al. (2009b), despite the existence of reciprocal effects, they may be considered irrelevant, in this species, especially in programs aimed at the generation of lines, because no reciprocal general combining ability (GCA) effect was detected. However, if the objective of the program is to obtain hybrids, these effects should be considered. Nascimento et al. (2015 b) stated that the intraspecific compatibility also varied with the directions of crosses. These authors showed the importance of the knowledge of the directions of crosses for the success in a hybrid breeding program.

4.2.4.2 Heritability and Combining Ability of Quantitative Traits

Some authors report the scarcity of research studies on narrow-sense heritability, in peppers, although estimates of broad-sense heritability have been well-studied for several traits (Poulos 1994; Sreelathakumary and Rajamony 2004; Hasanuzzaman et al. 2012; Silva et al. 2013).

Rêgo (2001) determined the presence of an epistatic effect on the following traits: total soluble solids, fruit dry matter, pericarp thickness, plant height, first bifurcation height, canopy diameter between plants, and yield. The additive-dominant model could be applied to the traits of major and minor fruit diameter, fruit length, fresh matter, and fruit fresh matter content, canopy width between rows, and fruit yield per plant. Sousa and Maluf (2003), however, detected epistatic effects also in the determination of seed yield per fruit. Anandhi and Khader (2011) found epistatic effects for the trait’s plant height, number of branches, fruit yield per plant, fruit length and diameter, seed yield per fruit, and green fruit yield per plant.

The knowledge of the combining ability of parents is a prerequisite in the direction of crosses aimed at production of good hybrids and lineages. The GCA is related to the additive genetic effects, whereas the specific combining ability (SCA) is related to the nonadditive genetic effects. Hybrid combinations with favorable SCA, good performance per se in the traits of interest, and which involve at least one parent with good GCA, are of interest in the plant breeding program (Kirsch and Miller 1991; Rêgo et al. 2009b; Nascimento et al. 2014; Ferreira et al. 2015).

The effects of GCA and SCA referring to 14 traits in the C. baccatum species were evaluated by Rêgo et al. (2009b), who demonstrated the importance of the additive and nonadditive effects on the expression of several quantitative traits. The traits of minor fruit width, soluble solids, pericarp thickness, first bifurcation height, plant height, canopy diameter between rows and between plants, and yield showed a prevalence of nonadditive genetic effects, which can be better explored in specific programs for hybrid production. A similar study was conducted by Nascimento et al. (2014) and Ferreira et al. (2015) in Capsicum annuum, in which the authors observed the significance of the CGA and SCA effects on all traits analyzed. Reciprocal effects were also observed by these authors, except for the traits of fruit length, pericarp thickness, placental length, and seed yield per fruit. Similar data were found by other authors with other species of the genus (Zambrano et al. 2005; Ahmed et al. 1999; Geleta and Labuschagne 2004a; Schuelter et al. 2010).

On the other hand, Sousa and Maluf (2003) determined that the nonadditive effects predominate in the production traits of fruit length/width ratio, fruit dry matter, production of capsaicin, and seed yield per fruit. For these same traits and also precocity traits (days to flowering and fructification), pericarp thickness, fruit yield, total soluble solids, and ascorbic acid content, Geleta and Labuschagne (2004b) determined the existence of dominance effects, which was also reported by Geleta et al. (2004). In addition, Rêgo et al. (2012b) determined dominance effects for days to flowering.

Rêgo et al. (2012b) determined that both the additive and the nonadditive genetic effects influence the plantlet and flower traits, except anther length. Ferreira et al. (2015) found predominant additive effects determining corolla length and number of stamens. Fortunato et al. (2015) also showed the predominance of additive effects for corolla length, petal width, and anther and style length.

For the traits in which the genetic additive effects predominate, it is suggested to utilize backcrossing or selection-based methods. For variables with predominance of nonadditive genetic effects, however, exploring the hybrid vigor may be a good strategy.

4.3 Breeding Methods

Several methods can be utilized in the development of a new cultivar. These should be determined by the breeder according to the objectives of the program and the existence of genetic variability in the basic population. The most widely used methods in the development of new Capsicum varieties are mentioned below.

4.3.1 Mass Selection

This method should be used for populations with genetic variability and selected in environments where the traits express themselves and for those of high heritability, inasmuch as selection is based on the phenotype.

In Brazil, this method has been used efficiently by the breeding groups of the Federal University of Paraíba (UFPB), State University of Norte Fluminenese (UENF) , and Embrapa Vegetables.

4.3.2 Pedigree

This method is based on hybridization and involves the ancestry record of each plant selected within and between lines (Fehr 1987). The peppers BRS Sarakura and BRS Garça, adapted to Central Brazil, were developed by Embrapa Vegetables employing this method (Carvalho et al. 2009). Segregating generations F3, F4, and F5 are being evaluated and selected at UFPB for ornamental purposes by the genealogical method. Cultivar Ouro Negro, or UFPB2, was selected using this method.

4.3.3 Backcross

This method is effective when one aims at transferring one or a few genes. A successful case of its use was the transfer of virus resistance from the species C. chinense to C. frutescens (Greenleaf 1986). This method has been utilized efficiently to introduce genes of resistance to diseases.

4.3.3.1 Recurring Selection

This method involves interpopulation crossing for the formation of a new population base. It is used for the selection of quantitative traits of low heritability. Palloix et al. (1990a, b) utilized this method in the development of two lines of pepper (C. annuum) resistant to Verticillium dahliae and Phytophtora capsici.

4.3.4 SSD (Single Seed Descent )

This method involves the advance of generations without selection (Fehr 1987). Generation advance can be performed in greenhouses. Villalon (1986) utilized this method to fix recessive genes of resistance to potyvirus. Moreira et al. (2009) utilized this method to obtain lines resistant to bacterial spot and with high yield.

4.3.5 Mutation Breeding

This is not exactly a breeding method, but a way to generate new mutant alleles of interest. Mutants for pericarp color in pepper were successfully introduced chemically and by ionizing radiation, generating stable individuals through selection in subsequent generations (Bhargava and Umalkar 1989). Venkataiah et al. (2005) obtained, by chemical induction, mutants of C. praetermissum resistant to streptomycin. Chemical and physical mutagens have been utilized successfully in the generation of genetic variability for fruit and plant traits by the research group of the Federal University of Paraíba. Nascimento et al. (2015a) found different forms of fruit in mutated plants and determined the ideal ethyl methanesulphonate (EMS) and exposure time to obtain pepper mutants.

4.4 Correlations Among Traits

The knowledge of the association among traits is of great importance in breeding works, especially when the selection of one of them is difficult due to low heritability, or problems of measurement and identification. The simple correlation coefficients may not be completely informative as to the relationship between two variables, because the effects caused by other variables may be confusing these values. The partial correlation coefficient, which removes the effects of other traits on the studied association, and the path analysis, which deploys the correlation coefficient to direct and indirect effects on the basic variable, are auxiliary measures in the study of correlations. Rêgo et al. (2001) employed path analysis and partial correlations in the choice of selection strategies for 10 important traits in the breeding of pepper. For the path analysis, the trait yield was considered the basic variable. The variables of pericarp thickness, fruit length, plant height, and fruit yield per plant showed the highest partial correlation coefficients with yield (0.67, 0.77, 0.63, and 0.88, respectively), despite the low simple correlation coefficients (0.28, 0.14, 0.51, and 0.36, respectively). They also displayed the highest direct effects on the principal variable, indicating that pleiotropy and/or epistasis with genes, which control the other morphological variables, mask the effects of these traits on yield. Despite the low correlations, the direct effect is high; thus, the traits can be utilized in a selection index. The simple and partial correlation coefficients for the variables of major and minor fruit diameter, canopy width, first bifurcation height, and dry matter yield were low, and their effects on the principal variable have an indirect origin, via other variables, mainly pericarp thickness and plant height.

Utilizing path analysis in fruit traits, Silva et al. (2013) determined that the fruit dry matter is negatively correlated with pedicel and fruit lengths, fruit width, pericarp thickness, and average fruit weight.

Gains in yield can be achieved by selecting tall plants, with a higher fruit yield per plant, and longer fruits with a thicker pericarp. In this context, the use of selection indexes would be the most recommended strategy for the generation of new improved genotypes. If the objective is to select plants with fruits that have a greater dry matter content, plants bearing fruits with a smaller width should be selected.

4.5 Ornamental Peppers

The sale of ornamental plants in pots is becoming increasingly widespread; in general, more than that of cut flowers. In the ornamental pepper industry, the diversity of supply of new types opens new markets (Casali and Couto 1984; Rêgo et al. 2009b, 2011d). Among the ornamental plants grown in pots, the cultivation and search for peppers have increased, because they have a double purpose, especially when grown in pots or in gardens. The use of ornamental peppers for decoration and for consumption adds value to this product, increasing the financial return to the producer (Finger et al. 2012).

Ornamental peppers have had great prominence and good acceptance by the consumer market; they are popular in Europe and are gaining popularity in the United States. In Brazil, the sale of ornamental pepper is still restricted to street markets and some supermarkets, but the scenario has been changing, and consumers with higher purchasing power are already acquiring peppers at flower shops. This business is an important source of income to agricultural populations (Bosland et al. 1994). Family farming has been primarily responsible, in Brazil, for the expansion of the pepper-growing area in several states (Rêgo et al. 2011d).

Not every pepper cultivar adapts to cultivation in a pot, with variations present even within the same species (Fig. 4.4). Only those which show reduced plant size and harmony in the pot can be grown and marketed as ornamental plants. The traits of plant height, total height (heights of plant and pot), canopy width, and color and position of the fruit and flower are criteria utilized by consumers at the moment of purchase (Table 4.1) (Barroso et al. 2012; Nascimento et al. 2013).

Fig. 4.4
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(a) Cultivars of pepper adapted to pots; (b) pepper cultivars not adapted to pots. Different cultivars of the Capsicum frutescens species with different plant heights (a: Finger FL and b Rêgo et al. 2011d)

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To obtain good harmony, it is advisable that the ratio between plant height and canopy diameter, be 1.5–2 times the pot height or width, respectively (Barbosa 2003; Barroso et al. 2012). Pots with 900 mL capacity are often used successfully in the production of ornamental pepper (Fig. 4.5). Further research on the best containers and their dimensions is important, as they will influence the final production costs of ornamental peppers, so unnecessary expenses can be reduced.

Fig. 4.5
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Ornamental pepper plants grown in a greenhouse in Areia-PB, Brazil, in pots with 900 mL capacity

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4.6 Postproduction

Peppers are, in general, demanding plants in terms of temperature and, for this reason, in most pepper-growing regions of Brazil they are planted in the early spring. In regions of low altitude and mild winters, they can be cultivated all year round (Filgueira 2003). However, few studies have been carried out with ornamental peppers on production factors such as size, precocity, aging capacity in the pot, and postproduction factors such as sensitivity to ethylene, capacity to maintain photosynthesis under low- and high-luminosity conditions, and the use of inhibitors of the ethylene action to increase postproduction longevity in pots.

If there is too much ethylene in the circulating air (exhaust gases or ripe fruits), ethylene-sensitive flowers and plants will suffer wilting, bud drying, and abscission of leaf and fruits, among other problems (Woltering et al. 1996). However, the concentration of ethylene required to cause these effects depends on factors including time of exposure, temperature, developmental stage, and sensitivity of the species or variety (Hoyer 1996; Segatto et al. 2013).

The response of ornamental peppers to ethylene was studied by Segatto et al. (2013), who determined that after 48 h in the presence of 10 μL L−1 of ethylene, there was a significant difference in the chlorophyll contents in the different genotypes of C. annuum tested.

Rêgo (2015) (data not published) worked with five generations (parents, F1, F2, BC1, and BC2) treated for 6 h with 10 μL L−1 ethylene for 48 h and determined heritability for leaf and fruit abscission, allelic and gene effects, and correlation with morphoagronomic traits (Table 4.2). These authors determined the presence of overdominance and gene interaction for the trait leaf abscission in treated peppers (Table 4.2).

Table 4.2 Broad-sense heritability (H2 b), narrow-sense heritability (H2 n), allelic interaction, and gene interaction for leaf and fruit abscission in ornamental pepper
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Nascimento et al. (2015 c) determined the existence of a high positive correlation between flower and fruit traits and leaf abscission caused by ethylene (Table 4.3). Plants more resistant to ethylene can be selected by selecting plants with smaller fruits with a thinner pericarp and lower dry matter content. These data were confirmed in the study of these authors who also determined that there is no correlation between fruit drop and leaf senescence after exposure to ethylene.

Table 4.3 Correlation between leaf abscission and flower and fruit traits after exposure to ethylene (10 μL L-1)
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Santos et al. (2013) studied the sensitivity to ethylene in seven F2 populations of ornamental pepper and observed significant differences between the evaluated populations in leaf and fruit abscission (Table 4.4 and Fig. 4.6).

Table 4.4 Percentage of leaf and fruit abscission within seven F2 families (A–G) of ornamental peppers treated with ethylene
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Fig. 4.6
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Effect of ethylene in segregating populations of ornamental pepper. (a) before application of ethylene; (d) after application of ethylene (Santos et al. 2013)

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The resistant populations were selected and are being evaluated in the breeding program of the Federal University of Paraíba, in Areia-PB, Brazil, for ornamental purposes. In contrast, susceptible populations were selected to be utilized for the production of cut stem bouquets (Fig. 4.7).

Fig. 4.7
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Plant with leaf abscission and fruit persistence after ethylene treatment

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Rêgo et al. (2009a) and Silva et al. (2009) demonstrated that the longevity of ornamental pepper in pots can vary from 13 to 72 days, after being subjected to simulated transport for 48 h, depending on the cultivar (Fig. 4.8).

Fig. 4.8
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Cultivars of ornamental pepper subjected to transport simulation (a) and a more susceptible variety after 13 days at room temperature (b) (Rêgo et al. 2011d)

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4.7 Breeding for Ornamental Purposes

In general, the seeds from the ornamental varieties available in the Brazilian market are hybrids and the available cultivars are Gion red, pirâmide, espaguetinho ornamental, and grisu f-1 (Fabri 2008). There is a growing demand for new cultivars with colorful, attention-getting fruits and flowers that stand out in the foliage, with a small size and with postproduction quality.

In this regard, the Federal University of Paraíba (UFPB) has been developing, together with the Federal University of Viçosa (UFV), a breeding program of peppers for ornamental purposes with the following objectives: (1) to select pepper lines for family farmers; (2) to promote intra- and interspecific hybridization among the selected lines; (3) to advance generations through segregating populations; (4) to perform molecular analyses; and (5) to conduct studies of postproduction longevity. Many results have been obtained, such as selection of lines with a longer postproduction time (Rêgo et al. 2010), selection of ethylene-resistant lines (Santos et al. 2013), development of 290 hybrids of the Capsicum annuum species, and maintenance of segregating populations in a greenhouse (Rêgo et al. 2015a, b).

Eliza’s rainbow (UFPB 1) and Ouro Negro (UFPB 2): new cultivars of potgrown ornamental pepper.

Two new cultivars were obtained. Eliza’s rainbow (UFPB 1) was obtained through five cycles of mass selection with progeny testing, for three consecutive years, in a basic population of a cherry-like fruit of Capsicum baccatum chili pepper. Cultivar Ouro Negro (UFPB 2) was obtained by the genealogical method from the advancement of generations obtained by diallel crosses (Nascimento et al. 2012, 2014; Rêgo et al. 2012b, c). These segregating populations were evaluated for six consecutive cycles.

Cultivar Eliza’s rainbow presents anthocyanin in the stem, densely branched plants with medium density of green leaves, and green, erect fruits with anthocyanin spots, and four fruit-ripening stages with the colors beige, purple, orange, and red (Figs. 4.9 and 4.10). The flower is erect, white, and has green-yellowish spots in the corolla (Fig. 4.9b). The plant height values (49.24 cm) confirm its ornamental use as compared with the control cultivar (Calypso; Fig. 4.10). Cultivar Eliza’s rainbow (UFPB 1) is recommended both for use in gardens and in pots. All characterizations was done following the Capsicum descriptors (IPGRI, 1995).

Fig. 4.9
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Plant (a) and fruit and flower (b) aspects of cultivar Eliza’s rainbow (Rêgo et al. 2011d)

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Fig. 4.10
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New cultivar, Eliza’s rainbow (purple fruits) , subjected to the cultivar registration, compared with commercial cultivar Calypso (yellow fruits) (Rêgo et al. 2011d)

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Cultivar Ouro Negro has sparse, green foliage and erect fruits that are black when not ripe and yellow when ripe (Fig. 4.11). The values obtained for plant height (39 cm) confirmed its ornamental use. Cultivar Ouro Negro is only recommended for use in pots, because of its very small size (Rêgo et al. 2015a, b).

Fig. 4.11
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Plant and fruit aspects of cultivar Ouro Negro , developed at CCA-UFPB (Rêgo et al. 2015a, b)

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Both cultivars are in final evaluation trials for registration in the National Cultivar Registration Systems.

4.7.1 Ornamental Hybrids

Parallel to the development of new cultivars by mass selection and by the genealogical method, intraspecific hybrids of the Capsicum annuum species have been produced, and they are currently being evaluated in comparison with commercial cultivars (Fig. 4.12a, b). At present, 53 hybrids are being evaluated (Fig. 4.12b), aiming at use as ornamental pepper in pots, resistant to the action of ethylene, and for production of different populations (Figs. 4.13 and 4.14), which will be used as a basic population in the breeding of Capsicum with ornamental purposes.

Fig. 4.12
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Controlled hybridization of ornamental peppers (a) and new hybrids (b) under testing at CCA-UFPB, Areia-PB, Brazil (Rêgo et al. 2011d)

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Fig. 4.13
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F2 generation of C. annuum ornamental peppers (Rêgo et al. 2011d)

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Fig. 4.14
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Genotypes representing the different phenotypic classes observed in six generations of pepper (C. annuum) (Nascimento et al. 2015d)

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