Cytomorphology of induced octoploid Chili pepper (Capsicum annuum L.)

Octoploidy was induced in Chili pepper (Capsicum annuum cultivar 'cerasiformis') through the application of colchicine and the cytomorphological features of two octoploid plants were described. In general, the octoploids did not exhibit gigas characters when compared to the tetraploids; on the contrary they were less vigorous, suggesting that the optimum and desirable ploidy level for Capsicum is probably tetraploid. Chromosome associations such as octovalents and hexavalents, in addition to IVs, IIIs, IIs and Is, were recorded at diakinesis and metaphase I. Meiosis was highly irregular and the pollen and seed fertility was very low. Cytological features of octoploid Chili peppers are compared with octoploids of Physalis and Petunia.