PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF CAPSICUM ANNUUM L. GENOTYPES FOR GROWTH, PHENOLOGICAL AND PROCESSING-RELATED TRAITS UNDER A COCONUT ECOSYSTEM

Abstract

Capsicum annuum L. is an economically important spice crop valued for its processing quality, natural pigments and industrial applications. However, genotype performance varies considerably across production environments, necessitating the evaluation of diverse genetic resources under specific production systems. Although coconut based production systems provide opportunities for crop diversification and efficient resource utilization, information on the performance of Capsicum annuum L. genotypes under the modified microclimatic conditions of coconut ecosystems remains limited. Therefore, the present study evaluated twenty-five Capsicum annuum L. genotypes for growth, phenological and fruit morphological traits to identify promising genotypes for cultivation under a coconut ecosystem. The experiment was conducted during June to November at the Department of Spices and Plantation Crops, Horticultural College and Research Institute, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, following a Randomized Block Design with three replications. Observations were recorded on thirteen quantitative traits related to vegetative growth, phenology and fruit morphology. Significant variation was observed among the genotypes for all the traits studied. CAG-12 exhibited superior vegetative growth, whereas CAG-17 was the earliest for flowering and ripening. CAG-4 produced the longest fruits, while CAG-5 recorded the highest pericarp thickness and 1000-seed weight. CAG-8 combined desirable fruit length, fruit diameter and pericarp thickness, indicating its potential for processing. Overall, CAG-8, CAG-5, CAG-4 and CAG-12 emerged as promising genotypes for cultivation under a coconut ecosystem. The findings provide baseline information for genotype selection and support crop diversification in coconut-based production systems.