Abstract:The present investigation was carried out to estimate the magnitude of heterosis over mid parent, better parent and standard checks (GAVCH-1) for yield and its contributing traits in chilli (
Capsicum annuum L.) and developed 30 F
1 hybrids by crossing two lines with fifteen testers using line x tester mating design. The hybrids differed significantly for all the traits studied, as evident from their significant mean square values in all the traits. Among 30 F
1 hybrids, eleven, five and thirteen hybrids exhibited significant positive heterosis for yield per plant over mid parent, better parent, and standard checks, respectively and the hybrid A
1 × GP-18 registered significant standard positive heterosis (106.77 per cent) followed by A
1 × GAVC-112 (67.32 per cent) and A
1 × JC-AV-2019-9-(HP) (64.98%) over check GAVCH-1. Among the 30 hybrids, the hybrid A
1 × GAVC 112 was found to be superior for plant height and number of seeds per fruit, A
1 × JC-AV-2019-6-(SP-R) for fruit girth,
A2 ×JC-AV-2019-5(HP-R) for number of fruits per plant, A1 × JC-AV-2019-9-(HP) for fresh weight of fruit and dry weight of fruit recorded maximum standard heterosis in desirable direction. The hybrid A2 × JC-AV-2019-5(HP-R) for days to first fruit ripening, A1 × GCH-3 for fruit length recorded maximum heterobeltiosis and standard heterosis in desirable direction. The hybrid A1 × GP-18 was recorded highest magnitude of significant positive heterobeltiosis for yield per plant and capsaicin content. These hybrids can be exploited commercially after multilocation testing and further can be identified for important of yield and its contributing traits through selection of transgressive segregants in F2 and subsequent generations in chilli.