“EVALUATION OF BASTAR CHILLI GENOTYPES FOR PUNGENCY, PIGMENT, NUTRITIONAL QUALITY AND DRY MATTER CONTENT”

Abstract

Chilli (Capsicum annum L.) is a very valuable spice as well as vegetable which is governed by many parameters like pungency, fruit colour, nutritional value, and dry matter content. The present study is aimed at understanding the variability in important biochemical quality characters in Bastar chilli germplasm. A total of 20 accessions of Bastar chillies (CGBC-1 to CGBC-20) along with standard check Pusa Jwala were evaluated during 2024–25 and 2025–26 at Research-cum-Instructional Farm of K.D. College of Horticulture and Research Station, Jagdalpur, Bastar, Chhattisgarh, through Randomized Block Design having three replications. Characters studied in genotypes included capsaicin, capsanthin, ascorbic acid, and dry matter content. Significant variation was found in all the quality parameters studied. Pusa Jwala showed maximum values of pooled capsaicin (0.76%), capsanthin (1.07%) and ascorbic acid (235.40 mg/100 g). CGBC-19 was the best accession in terms of capsaicin (0.72%) and capsanthin (0.99%) content among the Bastar germplasms. CGBC-13 possessed the maximum ascorbic acid content (201.35 mg/100 g) among the Bastar germplasms.The dry matter percentage was found to be 23.54% for Pusa Jwala, 22.43% for CGBC-19, 19.29% for CGBC-6, and 19.12% for CGBC-15. This variation suggests significant variability in the germplasm of Bastar chillies for quality traits. Specifically, CGBC-19 possessed a desirable combination of high capsaicin, capsanthin, and dry matter percentages, while CGBC-13 possessed a high percentage of ascorbic acid. These accessions might be used as genetic material for breeding chillies of improved quality and with special purpose.