Selection of promising pepper (Capsicum spp.) genotypes for the purpose of ornamental use and fresh consumption

Pepper (Capsicum spp.) is one of the most globally grown vegetable species for its use of fresh consumption and raw material of the processing food industry as well as its ornamental use of cut flowers and indoor-outdoor pot plants. Genus Capsicum is a strong gene source for this wide range of consumption purposes with its wide diversity of morphology and physiology. In this research, three pepper populations consisted twenty five genotypes collected from different ornamental pepper producers were evaluated with the selection breeding methods for fifteen different traits to select the most promising genotypes for the purpose of the fresh consumption while it is used as ornamental plants. Results showed that genotypes SB.1, SB.2 and SB.3 were the most promising ones among the others with their qualitative and quantitative trait results for the aim of this study. Genotypes SB.1, SB.2 and SB.3 were selected for their highest results of the germination rate, the earliness and the total yield as well as their most suitable trait results for plant type, flower positioning, leaf/flower ratio, flower type and matured fruit color. These three genotypes were defined as hot pepper with the brix levels between %7,1-%9,9.