Inheritance of Mature Fruit Colour in Capsicum

An experiment was conducted at Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Regional Station, Katrain (HP), India during 2001–2008 to study the inheritance of mature fruit colour in capsicum (Capsicum annuum var. grossum). Two inbreds each of 4 different mature fruit colours (red, yellow, orange and yellow orange) were crossed in complete diallele fashion to determine the dominance relationship. Red colour was found dominant over others whereas yellow-orange was recessive to all others. From analysis of a series of F2 generations and test cross of all possible F1 progeny it was established that when the c locus is silent (i.e., homozygous recessive) the y locus controls the appearance of orange colour (Y_cc) vs. yellow orange (yycc). On the other hand when the y locus is homozygous recessive, the c locus controls the expression of yellow (yyC_) vs. yellow-orange (yycc) colour. Dominant genes at both the loci resulted in red colour while recessive yycc led to appearance of yellow-orange colour in the mature fruit of capsicum. No linkage between the loci was found and cytoplasmic inheritance of this trait was absent.