VARIATION OF FRUIT MORPHOLOGICAL TRAITS IN CAPSICUM ANNUUML. GERMPLASM COLLECTION FROM NORTH MACEDONIA

The aim of this research was to evaluate the phenotypic divergence of 33 local pepper landraces from North Macedonia based on their fruit traits, that have not been evaluated before. According to the vernacular names they belong to the longum group and are traditionally consumed mostly in technological maturity. The experiment was laid out in randomized block design in three replications in 2018. Six quantitative fruit traits were evaluated: fruit length, fruit width, fruit weight, fruit pedicel length, fruit wall thickness and number of locules, as well as several quantitative traits: colour at intermediate stage, colour at mature stage, fruit shape, shape at blossom end, cross-sectional corrugation, ripe fruit persistence – pedicel with fruit and pedicel with stem. The PCA analysis identified that two principal components explain more than 77% of the variability based on the quantitative fruit parameters. The cluster analysis classified the accessions in three clusters, where the third cluster grouped seven local landraces that had highest values for fruit width, fruit weight and pericarp thickness and are major yield components. It can be concluded that the results obtained for the fruit variability in the investigated 33 local pepper landraces from North Macedonia provided valuable information about the diversity of the collection. Furthermore, the local landraces identified in cluster three can be considered as potential source for selection of preferred traits or for further utilization in development of recommendations for direct production in the rural areas.