Plant and Soil Science

Diversity and correlation analysis of national bell pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) accessions in Niger

Halimatou Ousseini Maiga, Oumarou Souleymane, Illiassou Mossi Maiga, Adam Toudou
Download article
Abstract

The study on the diversity and correlation analysis of national bell pepper accessions is of paramount importance because it documented and conserved valuable local genetic resources while providing essential information for breeding and varietal improvement. By assessing agro-morphological variability and identifying relationships among key traits, the study helped breeders select superior parent lines and guided farmers in choosing well-adapted accessions for different production contexts. This knowledge supports higher productivity, resilience to climate stress, and improves fruit quality, ultimately contributing to food security, income generation, and better management of national germplasm resources. The purpose was to assess the genetic diversity and identify key trait correlations among national bell pepper accessions in Niger to inform effective selection, conservation, and breeding programmes. Hence, national local germplasm was collected and evaluated in an alpha lattice design with three replicates. Data were collected and analysed through correlation, diversity, cluster, and principal component (PCA) analyses. The results uncovered substantial genetic diversity among national bell pepper accessions, highlighting the existence of distinct genetic clusters. Significant relationships were revealed between traits, such as a positive correlation between fruit pericarp thickness and corolla length, fruit pericarp thickness and fruit length, plant circumference and fruit pericarp thickness, total flowers and aborted flowers, plant height and the number of aborted flowers, plant height and the total number of flowers, the height of the first bifurcation and plant height, the height of the first bifurcation and total flowers, and the height of the first bifurcation and aborted flowers. The identified genetic diversity and trait correlations offered crucial information for bell pepper conservation and improvement. The results of this study can be used by breeders and farmers for the selection and cultivation of high-yielding and resilient bell pepper varieties

Keywords

variability assessment; germplasm characterisation; genetic diversity; principal component analysis; cluster analysis; agro-morphological traits

Suggested citation
Maiga, H.O., Souleymane, O., Maiga, I.M., & Toudou, A. (2026). Diversity and correlation analysis of national bell pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) accessions in Niger. Plant and Soil Science, 17(1), 44-58. https://doi.org/10.31548/plant1.2026.44
References
  1. Agapie, O.L., Barcanu, E., Kivu, B.E., Gherase, I., & Dobre, G. (2023). Assessment of romanian peppers cultivars for fruit quality traits. Journal of International Scientific Publications: Agriculture & Food, 11, 356-365. doi: 10.62991/AF1996333889.
  2. Aktaş, H., Abak, K., & Şensoy, S. (2013). Genetic diversity in some Turkish pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) genotypes revealed by AFLP analyses. African Journal of Biotechnology, 8, 4378-4386. doi: 10.4314/ajb.v8i18.62388.
  3. Anaya-Esparza, L.M., Mora, Z.V.-D.L., Vázquez-Paulino, O., Ascencio, F., & Villarruel-López, A. (2021). Bell peppers (Capsicum annum L.) losses and wastes: Source for food and pharmaceutical applications. Molecules, 26(17), article number 5341. doi: 10.3390/molecules26175341.
  4. Barboza, G.E., García, C.C., Scaldaferro, M., & Bohs, L. (2020). An amazing new Capsicum (Solanaceae) species from the Andean-Amazonian Piedmont. PhytoKeys, 167, 13-29. doi: 10.3897/phytokeys.167.57751.
  5. Chheda, H.R., & Fatokun, C.A. (1982). Numerical analysis of variation patterns in okra (Abelmoschus esculentus [L.] Moench). Botanical Gazette, 143(2), 253-261.
  6. Convention on Biological Diversity. (1992, June). Retrieved from https://www.cbd.int/doc/legal/cbd-en.pdf.
  7. Convention on the Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. (1976, March). Retrieved from https://treaties.un.org/doc/publication/unts/volume%20993/volume-993-i-14537-english.pdf.
  8. Edak, U., Chukwudi, U.T., & Peter, O.A. (2014). Genetic diversity in African nutmeg (Monodora myristica) accessions from South Eastern Nigeria. African Journal of Biotechnology, 13(42), 4105-4111. doi: 10.5897/AJB2014.14075.
  9. Frank, C.A., Nelson, R.G., Simonne, E.H., Behe, B.K., & Simonne, A.H. (2001). Consumer preferences for color, price, and vitamin C content of bell peppers. HortScience, 36(4), 795-800. doi: 10.21273/hortsci.36.4.795.
  10. Frankham, R. (2005). Genetics and extinction. Biological Conservation, 126, 131-140.
  11. Gamela, R.R., Costa, V.C., & Pereira-Filho, E.R. (2020). Multivariate optimization of ultrasound-assisted extraction procedure for the determination of Ca, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, P, and Zn in pepper samples by ICP OES. Food Analytical Methods, 13, 69-77. doi: 10.1007/s12161-019-01524-5.
  12. Hernández-Pérez, T., Gómez-García, M.D.R., Valverde, M.E., & Paredes-López, O. (2020). Capsicum annuum (hot pepper): An ancient Latin‐American crop with outstanding bioactive compounds and nutraceutical potential. A review. Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety, 19(6), 2972-2993. doi: 10.1111/1541-4337.12634.
  13. Karim, K.M.R., Rafii, M.Y., Misran, A., Ismail, M.F., Harun, A.R., Ridzuan, R., Chowdhury, F.N., Hosen, M., Yusuff, O., & Haque, A. (2022) Genetic diversity analysis among Capsicum annuum mutants based on morpho-physiological and yield traits. Agronomy, 12(10), article number 2436. doi: 10.3390/agronomy12102436.
  14. Menisha, R., Kumar, J.S., & Prakash, M.O. (2023). Genetic variability for plant growth, fruit, seed and biochemical traits in bell pepper breeding populations under North Indian plains. Genetika, 55(1), 111-124. doi: 10.2298/GENSR2301111R.
  15. Muñoz-Ramírez, L.S., Peña-Yam, L.P., Álvarez-Gil, M.A., Iglesias-Andreu, L.G., Avilés-Viñas, S.A., Canto-Flick, A., Guzmán-Antonio, A., & Santana-Buzzy, N. (2020). Selection of habanero pepper F1 hybrids (Capsicum chinense Jacq.) at the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico with a high potential for different markets. Agriculture, 10(10), article number 478. doi: 10.3390/agriculture10100478.
  16. Nas, Y., & İlbi̇, H. (2022). Determination of genetic diversity in banana and bell pepper lines using molecular markers. International Journal of Agriculture and Wildlife Sciences, 8(2), 234-244. doi: 10.24180/ijaws.1098482.
  17. Onzo, A., Acquavia, M.A., Pascale, R., Iannece, P., Gaeta, C., Nagornov, K.O., Tsybin, Y.O., & Bianco, G. (2021). Metabolic profiling of Peperoni di Senise PGI bell peppers with ultra-high resolution absorption mode Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry. International Journal of Mass Spectrometry, 470, article number 116722. doi: 10.1016/j.ijms.2021.116722.
  18. Pickersgill, B. (1991). Cytogenetics and evolution of Capsicum L. Developments in Plant Genetics and Breeding, 2(B), 139-160. doi: 10.1016/B978-0-444-88260-8.50013-6.
  19. Sanwal, S., Singh, B., & Verma, S.S. (2012). Genetic divergence and its implication in breeding of desired plant type in okra (Abelmoschus esculentus). The Indian Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 82(3), 264-266. doi: 10.56093/ijas.v82i3.15975.
  20. Silva, M.R.E., & Silva, R.N.O. (2021). Morpho-agronomic characterization and genetic diversity in peppers (Capsicum spp.). Revista Caatinga, 34(3), 505-513. doi: 10.1590/1983-21252021v34n302rc.
  21. Simonne, A.H., Simonne, E.H., Eitenmiller, R.R., Mills, H.A., & Green, N.R. (1997). Ascorbic acid and provitamin A contents in unusually colored bell peppers (Capsicum annuum L.). Journal of Food Composition and Analysis, 10(4), 299-311. doi: 10.1006/jfca.1997.0544.
  22. Terfa, G.N., & Gurmu, G.N. (2020). Genetic variability, heritability and genetic advance in linseed (Linum usitatissimum L) genotypes for seed yield and other agronomic traits. Oil Crop Science, 5(3), 156-160. doi: 10.1016/j.ocsci.2020.08.002.
  23. Tong, N., & Bosland, P.W. (2003). Observations on interspecific compatibility and meiotic chromosome behavior of Capsicum buforum and C. lanceolatum. Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution, 50, 193-199. doi: 10.1023/A:1022986615694.
  24. Uba, C.U., Oselebe, H.O., Tesfaye, A.A., & Abtew, W.G. (2021). Genetic diversity and population structure analysis of bambara groundnut (Vigna subterrenea L) landraces using DArT SNP markers. Plos One, 16, article number 0253600. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0253600.