Genetic Variability, Yield Prediction and Quality Assessment of Advanced Elite Chili (Capsicum Annuum L.) Lines
The present study was conducted to evaluate the mean performance, correlation, regression, and heritability of yield and its associated traits among twelve chili genotypes at the Seed Production and Development Centre, Sindh Agriculture University, Tandojam, during the 2024-2025 growing season. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with triplicates. Analysis of variance revealed highly significant differences (P<0.05) among genotypes for most traits. Genotype CL-100004 performed best and recorded the highest number of fruits plant⁻¹ (171.8), seeds fruit⁻¹ (177.67), fresh fruit weight plot⁻¹, biological yield plot⁻¹ and dry fruit weight Kg plot⁻¹ (1801). Dry fruit weight per plot showed significant correlations (P<0.05) with fresh fruit weight plot⁻¹ (r = 0.977**), biological yield plot⁻¹ (r = 0.923**) and other yield components. Regression analysis indicated that 1000-seed weight contributed the highest positive effect on dry fruit weight per plot. Broad-sense heritability was high for most traits (up to 98.64% for plant height). Moisture contents of genotypes were found within the acceptable levels, while aflatoxin contamination found below 4 ppb, reflecting safe storage and consumption. The promising genotypes for further evaluation and breeding programs were found to be CL-100004 and CL-100003. The parameters found effective for genotype selection would be fresh fruit weight, fruits per plant, seeds per fruit, and harvest index for improving chili yield.