VARIABILIDADE GENÉTICA NO FORMATO DE FRUTOS DE PIMENTEIRAS ORNAMENTAIS INDUZIDA POR ENXERTIA

Abstract

Chilli peppers are reproduced basically by seeds, but in the last years the production of seedlings by grafting has been increasing. Although it is an ancient practice it few information is known about the genetic effects caused by the interaction among stock and scion. The aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of grafting on the genetic variability induction in the shape of the fruits from ornamental peppers. The experiment was carried from January to July of 2017, in a greenhouse at the Laboratory of Plant Biotechnology from CCA – UFPB. The used access was UFPB-004, belonging to the C. frutescens species, and the accesses UFPB-010, UFPB-034, and UFPB-424, belonging to the C. Chinese species. The grafting method used was the fork grafting. Were used reciprocal graftings, where the access workedas scion and rootstock, totalizing 16 treatments, with 5 replications by treatment making 80 graftings. The experimental design was a completely randomized. From the 80 realized graftings, there were 51(63, 75%) survived, while 36, 25% died. The genetic variability was induced in fruit shape after graftings when used the access UFPB-004 and UFPB-010, and UFPB-424 and UFPB-034 as rootstock and scion, respectively.