Research Projects

An important requirement for crop improvement is availability of wide genetic diversity. From a breeder’s perspective haploid plants are ideal material for breeding since all the potential alleles including recessive ones are manifested in them many of which would not have otherwise expressed in diploid organisms. The doubled haploid (DH) lines are complete homozygous lines, and development of such lines through conventional breeding approaches involves prolonged duration. During microspore culture the microspore is not allowed to complete its normal gametophytic development instead it is induced to undergo embryogenic mode of development which in turn leads to development of haploid plants. The chromosome number of these haploid plants are doubled using chemicals such as colchicines to yield isogenic lines and new varieties. Capsicum spp has not been found very amenable for anther/microspore culture by many researchers. Present project envisages the development of doubled haploid lines in selected hybrids of hot and sweet pepper through anther culture / microspore embryogenesis with the ultimate aim of creating new genetic recombination as well as to select useful variability which can be utilized for developing improved varieties in capsicum to meet the demands of farmers as well as consumers with respect to yield traits, productivity, quality as well as biotic and abiotic stress tolerance.