Combining ability, heterosis, and heterobeltiosis to select highly productive F1 hybrids of habanero pepper (Capsicum chinense Jacq.)

Selection of lines from segregating generations and breeding hybrids to exploit heterosis or heterobeltiosis is an effective tool for improving economically important traits in the genus Capsicum. The objective of this study was to identify high potential parents to obtain high-yielding F1 hybrids using a Line × Tester (8 × 2) mating design in the Habanero pepper improvement programme. Ten parents and 16 hybrids were evaluated in order to determine their values of general combining ability, specific combining ability, heterosis, and heterobeltiosis. Parent NKA-11 had the highest values of GCA for different quantitative variables of the fruit, which does it suitable for future improvement works, and tester RNJ-04 showed the highest value of GCA for fruit length. The quantitative variables evaluated confirm a significant genetic variability among the Habanero pepper genotypes studied. The best hybrids were NEK-03xRNJ-04, NBA-06xRNJ-04, AKN-07xRNJ-04, and RKI-10xRNJ-04, which showed their high productive potential with values between 3.13 and 4.92 Kg/Pta, a quality, that would open to them the national market for fresh consumption. Based on the GCA values of the parents and heterosis of the progenies, it is concluded hybridization would be the most appropriate genetic improvement method to increase both yield (YP) and the number of fruits for plant.