Optimization of lethal dose (LD50) and effect of chemical mutagen on yield characteristics and quality traits on three varieties of Capsicum chinense Jacq.

Abstract

The popularity of Habanero pepper (Capsicum chinense Jacq.) among consumers is increasing, and the purpose of the study is well-founded, as the nutritional value and medicinal uses of these pepper varieties are essential and necessary to increase the production through induced mutagenesis.Thus, the development of ideotypes of peppers with high production potential is the main goal of the habanero variety improvement initiatives.The present study was conducted to determine the LD₅₀ dose and yield parameters induced by EMS in three Capsicum chinense cultivars datil pepper, Aji dulce (Ose Ibeku) and Habanero chile (Ose Nsukka) under laboratory conditions. The study was conducted by exposing the seeds to different concentrations of EMS (0.1%, 0.3%, 0.5%, 0.7% and 0.9% v/v) for 5 hours of exposure, with water as the control. The effect of the EMS mutagen on germination and survival rates for the three varieties was reported, and the collected data was subjected to statistical analysis using linear regression, analysis of variance, and least significant difference analysis.The results obtained from the germination percentage show an inversely proportional relationship, expressed in a decrease in this indicator with increasing concentrations of the mutagen among the treated plants. The lethal dose (LD₅₀) was determined at EMS concentrations of 0.8%, 0.5% and 0.5% (v/v) and the optimal dose was determined for the three pepper varieties.The results of the analysis of variance in pepper varieties show that with the induced mutations with 0.1% EMS and 0.3% EMS, the yield characteristics in the M₁ generation of all three varieties increase.