New Variety of Sweet Pepper ( Capsicum annuum var. [610562]

New Variety of Sweet Pepper ( Capsicum annuum var.
Grossum ) Obtained at V .R.D.S. Buzău
Elena BARCANU-TUDOR1*, Elena Maria DRĂGHICI2, Costel VÎNĂTORU1
1Vegetable Research and Development Station Buzău, 23 Mesteacănului Street, 120024, Buzău,
Romania
2University of Agronomic Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Bucharest, 59 Marasti Blvd, District 1,
Bucharest, Romania
*)corresponding author, e-mail: barcanuelen [anonimizat]
Bulletin UASVM Horticulture 75(1) / 2018
Print ISSN 1843-5262, Electronic ISSN 1843-536X
DOI:10.15835/buasvmcn-hort: 0029
Abstract
Obtaining new varieties of sweet peppers has been a major and permanent concern at V.R.D.S. Buzau.
Autochthonous assortment in this species is relatively small compared to other species which led to the crop
extension of foreign varieties that are commercialized at high prices without the expected results. Research es
carried out during the period 1996-2017 aimed to contribute at the enrichment and diversification of autochthonous
germplasm collection and also allowed introducing new valuable cultivars according to the market requirements
nowadays.
Keywords: breeding, genotypes, Ideal.
Introduction
There is a huge kinds of peppers ( Solanaceae )
grown worldwide with different shapes and
colors. The pepper usage is as diverse as the
types of Capsicum fruits (Albrecht et al., 2012).
Peppers are an important source of nutrients in
the human diet (Shetty et al., 2013), and it can be
consumed fresh or dried. They promote health
benefits such as reducing obesity and diabetes
(Vasconcelos, 2016). Moreover, pepper are noted
for their antiaging and cognitive enhancing
properties. Also, recent studies suggest that a
possible dietary means of managing Alzheimer’s
disease (Ogunruku et al., 2017). Under Romania’s
pedoclimatic conditions, pepper behaves like
an annual plant, being sensitive to extreme
environmental conditions and to the attack of
pathogens. Currently, the sweet pepper crops hold
one of the major areas of cultivated vegetable,
but, unfortunately, most of the cultivars belong to
foreign origin. In Romania, there is a small number
of autochthonous varieties, but most of them with limited yield potential and that is why it has been
highlighted the necessity to improve the existing
assortment of cultivars.
Aims and objectives. The aim of this study was
to achive new variety of sweet pepper suitable for
specific pedoclimate conditions of Romania and
also to the market requirements nowadays.
Materials and methods
The experiments were carried out in Vegetable
Research and Development Station Buzau
(V.R.D.S.) site. The germplasm collection of V.R.D.S.
Buzau consists of 214 accessions of Capsicum spp.
grouped by degree of genetic stability: stable,
advanced and segregating. After evaluating the
germplasm collection, a special attention has
been granted to Capsicum annuum var. grossum .
Researches ha ve been completed so far with
the achievement through repeated individual
selection of a new genetically stabilized variety
that exhibits features with limited variability that

2
Bulletin UASVM Horticulture 75(1) / 2018 BARCANU-TUDOR et al
accomplish the specific targets for breeding. The
breeding material used in obtaining this variety
was accession no. 3. The statistical analysis had
been made and mean and standard error of mean
had been calculated. Due to results obtained, there
have been made appreciations on the variability of
the studied characters and selection works have
been carried out.
Results and discussion
After the breeding work was finalized, the
variety had been cultivated and studied in the
experimental field between 2013 – 2016 and it
had been subjected to conservative selection
work. Over a 4-year period (2013-2016), peppers
were grown in greenhouse following current
recommendations for sweet pepper production.
Care was taken to ensure similar agrotehnical
conditions in each year. In table 1 are presented
the main characteristic of plants.Sweet pepper variety has a medium-strong
growth habit, with woody stem that grows brightly
colored fruits, as seen in Figure 1. The fruits can
be harvested in both stages: green (unripe) when
fruit has reached length of 12,2 cm and red (ripe)
when fruits records an average of 15,3 cm. At
physiological maturity, the taste and aroma are
more pronounced, giving the variety a better
feature. The fruit has a triangular shape, with two
lobes and a red carmine color at physiological
maturity. In Table 2 are presented three of the
main components of plant productivity: the
average weight of fruit, the number of fruits on
plant and fruits yield on plant. Also, there are fruits
characteristics like pulp weight and thickness wall.
As a result of the selection process, the
variability limits characters decreased significantly
from year to year and an increase in the yield on the
plant was observed, reaching a significant increase
up to 1.129 kg/plant. In addition to the positive
Figure 1. Plant detail
Table 1. Main characteristics of plant
Character/years 2013 2014 2015 2016 Average
Average plant height (cm) 85,3 92,5 98,8 112,1 97,17
Average bush diameter (cm) 70,2 73,1 75,7 71,9 72,72
Average number of main shoot/sprout 3,1 3,2 3,4 4,7 3,6
Average number of second shoot/sprout 6,2 7,5 8,7 8,3 7,675
Table 2. Main fruit characteristics
Character/years 2013 2014 2015 2016 Average
Average numbers of fruits /plant 21,4 22,2 21,4 24,1 22,27
Average fruit mass (g) 95,2 126,4 129,7 131,4 120,67
Average fruit wall thickness (cm) 0,6 0,6 0,7 0,7 0,65
Average pulp weight (g) 105,2 108,8 111,1 113,7 109,7
Average yield/plant (kg) 2,037 2,806 2,775 3,166 2,70

3
Bulletin UASVM Horticulture 75(1) / 2018
effect of the selection process the pedoclimate
conditions of 2016 were favorable which has also
led to an increase of the yield.
Conclusion
The researches ended with the creation of a
new sweet pepper variety that passed the final
test at ISTIS and is being patented as ‘Ideal.’ It
is particularly characterized as a medium-sized
plant with a medium-strong growth habit, suited
for greenhouses, with attractive fruits suitable
for both green and red stage. Fruits have a firm
fruit wall and a leathery peel, when fruits ripes
tend to be sweeter than in immature green stage.
Promotional seeds and seedlings were offered
in the main vegetable centers in Romania and
the results are encouraging. This new variety
contributes to the enrichment of the Romanian genetic patrimony, especially for the yield in
greenhouses.
References
1. Albrecht E, Zhang D, Saftner RA, Stommel RJ (2012).
Genetic diversity and population structure of Capsicum
baccatum genetic resources. Genetic Resources and Crop
Evolution, 59(2): 517-538.
2. Ogunruku OO, Oboh G, Passamonti S, Tramer F, Boligon
AA (2017). Capsicum annuum var. grossum (Bell Pepper)
Inhibits β-Secretase Activity and β-Amyloid1–40
Aggregation. Journal of medicinal food, 20(2): 124-130.
3. Shetty AA, Magadum S, Managanvi K (2013). Vegetables
as sources of antioxidants. Journal of Food & Nutritional
Disorders, 2(1): 1-5.
4. Vasconcelos CS (2016). Recursos genéticos de pimentas
(Capsicum , Solanaceae): qualidade de frutos após a colheita
e ação dos compostos antioxidantes na prevençãoda
síndrome metabólica, Ph.D.Thesis, Universidade Federal
de Pelotas – RS, Brazil. New Variety of Sweet Pepper ( Capsicum annuum var. Grossum ) Obtained at V.R.D.S. Buzău