Floral biology studies in Chilli (Capsicum annuum L.)

Abstract

The knowledge of floral biology is a pre-requisite for embarking upon a crop breeding and hybridization programme. The success of pollination and fertilization depends upon whether the signals carried by the pollen are recognized by the receptors in the stigma, pollen viability, pollen germination, pollen load per flower and other pollination steps. Chilli ( Capsicum annuum L.) is one of the crops where time of anthesis and dehiscence, pollen viability and germination and stigma receptivity changes over the different locations ( Kalloo, 1994). Moreover, in this crop, normally fruits are not formed from all the flowers produced. We can increase yield by higher fruit setting with the knowledge of exact floral biology and seasonal effects. Therefore, the present investigation was carried out on floral biology of various genotypes of chilli which may serve as a guide to the breeder.