Morpho-agronomic variability and multivariate analysis across successive generations of Capsicum chinense Jacq. (Bhut Jolokia)

Abstract

Bhut Jolokia (Capsicum chinense Jacq.), also known as ghost pepper, is recognised for its extreme pungency and its bioactive compounds produced by the plant that may have medicinal potential. Because cultivation relies mainly on farmer-saved seeds or plantlets, generational variation in traits is poorly understood. This study tracked two progenies (A3 and A4, which are offspring derived from different parent plants) to address this gap. The second generation (G2) consistently outperformed the first (G1) and third (G3) generations in germination (77.08–90.32 % germination percentage, mean time 18.5–19.0 days and higher seedling vigour), vegetative, reproductive and yield traits (p < 0.05), established an order of G2 > G1 > G3 for all traits measured. The G3 showed greater variability in germination, indicating reduced vigour uniformity. Correlation analysis confirmed strong links between yield and fruit number (A3: r = 0.935; A4: r = 0.941; p < 0.01), total flower number and plant height. Principal component analysis revealed that most phenotypic variance (over 72 % of the differences in plant characteristics) in both lineages was due to reproductive and yield traits. In A3, the first principal component (PC1, accounted for 44.32 % of the variation) emphasised fruit number, flowers, yield and height; the second (PC2, 29.74 %) emphasised fruit weight. In A4, PC1 (48.41 %) included fruit number, yield and flowers; PC2 (24.45 %) included fruit weight and height.