Cytogenetical Study of the Interspecific Hybrid between Capsicum annuum and C.baccatum

Abstract

To define the cytogenetical relationship between Capsicum annuum and C.baccatum, the pattern of chromosome pairing at meiotic metaphase in the F₁ hybrid was analysed. The average frequency was 0.02 for univalents, 8.93 for bivalents, 0.08 for trivalents, 0.72 for quadrivalents, 0.02 for quinquevalents and 0.49 for hexavalents. Occurrence of univalents was very rare. It is, thus, demonstrated that C.annuum and C.baccatum differ from each other by the presence of at least three reciprocal translocations. From the present results, it is concluded that C. annuum and C.baccatum share a basically homologous but structurally differentiated genome. The F₁ hvbrid was sterile because of such a structural differentiation of chromosomes.