Transferring of Genetic Male Sterility Trait into the Female Parent of Local Chilli (Capsicum annuum L.) Hybrid, MICH HY 1

Increasing the F₁ hybrid chilli seed production is an important current need in view of the high demand in Sri Lanka for hybrid chilli seeds. Male sterile systems in chilli are utilized in commercial hybrid seed production to reduce seed production costs. In this study, the most commonly utilized male-sterile gene called ms 10 was transferred into Galkiriyagama inbred line, the female parent of the first local chilli hybrid, MICH HY1, through backcross breeding strategy, thereby developing the seed parent (msms). Non-discriminated segregation of the ms 10 gene was further confirmed using the Chi-square test. The seed parent was observed to be a stable line free from the influence of environmental changes. The maintainer line (Msms) that is utilized in commercial hybrid production was developed using the seed parent (msms) and pollen parent (MsMs). The developed lines, seed parent and maintainer line would be utilized in F₁ chilli seed production of MICH HY 1. Further, the developed male-sterile phenotype can be utilized to develop new chilli hybrids with the potential for commercial cultivation.