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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Griffin, Georgia » Plant Genetic Resources Conservation Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #204591
Title: Morphological Variation for Fruit Characteristics in the USDA/ARS Capsicum Baccatum L. Germplasm Collection

Author
item Jarret, Robert - Bob

Submitted to: HortScience
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/1/2007
Publication Date: 8/1/2007
Citation: Jarret, R.L. 2007. Morphological Variation for Fruit Characteristics in the USDA/ARS Capsicum Baccatum L. Germplasm Collection. HortScience 42: 1303-1305.

Interpretive Summary: Capsicum baccatum is commonly known as aji pepper. This species of pepper is closely related to the common bell pepper, but is typically smaller and more elongate. The USDA's Agriculture Research Service (ARS) maintains a collection of various types of aji peppers in Griffin, GA. These peppers were collected from around the world. This study examined the sizes, shapes, and colors of fruit of 295 types of aji in the USDA/ARS collection of Capsicum baccatum. The average fruit weight of the aji peppers was 5.91 g with a range of from 0.15 g to 22.8 g. The average fruit length was 6.01 cm with a range of 0.8 cm to 16.0 cm. The average fruit width was 1.86 cm with a range of from 0.5 cm to 4.75 cm. Ninety-three percent of the aji peppers were elongate. Mature fruit colors included red (73.6%), orange (19.7%), yellow (3%), green (0.3%), and mixed (3%). This information suggests that variability for mature fruit characteristics within the USDA/ARS aji germplasm collection is extensive, and that variability for fruit length, width, and weight are sufficient to provide the basis for the improvement of the aji crop.

Technical Abstract: Mature fruit of two hundred and ninety-five accessions of Capsicum baccatum from the USDA/ARS Capsicum germplasm collection were characterized for fruit length, width, and color. Mean fruit weight was determined to be 5.91 g with a range from 0.15 g to 22.8 g. Mean fruit length was 6.01 cm with a range of 0.8 cm to 16.0 cm. Mean fruit width was 1.86 cm and a range of 0.5 cm to 4.75 cm. Distributions of fruit width, length, weight and l/w were leptokurtic. Ninety-three percent of accessions were elongate. Mature fruit colors included red (73.6%), orange (19.7%), yellow (3%), green (0.3%), and mixed (3%). These data suggest that variability for mature fruit characteristics within this germplasm collection is generally representative of the diversity previously reported within this species, and that variability for fruit length, width, and weight are sufficient to provide the basis for the improvement of the aji crop.