Development of male sterile lines of CMS chilies (Capsicum annuum L.) from F1 hybrids.

Selfing and crossing methods were used to develop the cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) lines from 2 elite F₁ hybrids of CMS hot chilies. The pungency of the CMS lines was improved by backcrossing with the B cultivar. The first and second backcrossed progenies of the CMS lines showed significantly higher capsaicin contents than the F₁ hybrids. One good female line K16 × BBC2 (K16), was selected and backcrossed with 3 good maintainer cultivars, C5, C9 and C0. Some incomplete male sterility of pollens was demonstrated in the F₁ hybrids and the 1^st backcrossed progenies while the partial sterility disappeared by the stage of the second and third generations of backcrossing. When K16 and P32 were crossed with restorers, fruit yields and yield components of certain F₁ hybrids, parental lines and commercial varieties were significantly different. Heterosis of yield and yield components of the F₁ hybrid chilies was significant. When K16 was used as a female parent, positive and significant heterosis of the F₁ hybrids was the same as P32. Moreover, significant GCA of the restorer lines, C7, C8 and C9, was observed in some horticultural characteristics. Furthermore, significant differences of the specific combining ability of some characteristics were observed in a few F₁ hybrids.