Morphological characterization of Maax (Capsicum annuum var Glabriesculum) and Pico Paloma (Capsicum frutescens) chilli pepper in Campeche, Mexico

Abstract

OBJECTIVE. Morphologicall characterization of main wild chilli peppers found in the Campeche state and Yucatan Peninsula: Maax (Capsicum annuum Var Glabriesculum) and Pico Paloma (Capsicum frutescens) chilli pepper.

Methodology. Two seed compounds of wild chilli pepper were evaluated, Maax  and Pico Paloma, product of a preliminary collection in the State of Campeche. Both ecotypes were evaluated ex situ during 2016 and 2017 under greenhouse conditions. The evaluation was carried out jointly with eight other ecotypes under a randomized block design with three replications. The morphological was based on the characteristics considered in the IPGRI Capsicum descriptor. The morphological cuantitative characterization was based on descriptive statistics.

Results. The main differentiating characteristics between the Maax and Pico Paloma chilli pepper were: the shape, length and width of the cotyledonous leaf, shape and margin of the leaf, number of flowers per axil, color and spot of the corolla, number of fruit locules and seed surface.

Findings / Conclusions. The morphological characterization allowed to establish structural anatomical differences between the Maax pepper and the Pico Paloma pepper; it also contributed to the knowledge of the ex situ plant growth characteristics and the identification of some characteristics that contribute to the explanation of the morphological variation between the evaluated ecotypes.