Combining ability and heritability for vitamin C and total soluble solids in pepper (Capsicum annuum L.)

Twenty-one F-1 hybrids and seven parental genotypes were used to assess combining ability and heritability for vitamin C and total soluble solids in pepper (Capsicum annuum L.). The mean squares for general (GCA) and specific (SCA) combining abilities were highly significant for the two traits, suggesting the importance of both additive and non-additive gene effects. However, additive gene action was more important, as GCA estimates were much higher than SCA effects. Among the parental genotypes, 'Mareko Shote' and `PBC 142A', and `PBC 142A' were good general combiners for vitamin C and total soluble solids, respectively, and could be used to improve these traits in pepper breeding programmes for the accumulation of favourable genes. They also showed the highest per se performance (315.3 mg 100 g(-1) and 18.5 Brix, respectively) for the two quality traits. The narrow sense heritability estimate for vitamin C was relatively high (54.8%) indicating that the environment had a less pronounced effect on this trait. The heritability for total soluble solids was low (15%).