Evaluation and Selection of Ornamental Pepper Elite Lines (<em>Capsicum annuum</em> L.) for Ethylene- Insensitivity

Capsicum species are widely used as ornamental. In the post-production stage the exposure to ethylene causes chlorophyll degradation and the leaves and fruits abscission, which resulting in loss of commercial value. This work aimed to evaluate and select pepper elite lines to ethylene insensitivity and their stability in two years of evaluation. Forty genotypes were evaluated at 48, 72 and 96 hours after exposure to ethylene in two years, with three replicates in an entirely randomized design. The evaluated variables were number of leaves, number of fruits and chlorophyll a and b. The variables were evaluated before the ethylene treatment and the plants were stored in airtight chambers (60L) with 10μL L-1 ethylene. New evaluations were made at 48, 72 and 96 hours after the exposition. Leaf and fruit abscission were expressed as loss percentage compared to time zero, before ethylene exposure. The data were subjected to analysis of variance. The means were grouped by Scott-Knott criteria (p≤0.01). The more stable lines with insensitivity to ethylene (55.50.4.1.2, 56.26.24.1.4, 56.26.33.1.9, 17.15.48.1.2, 56.26.15.1.5, 56.26.33.1.5, 17.15.4.1.9, 56.26.34.1.2, UFPB284, UFPB58, UFPB393 and UFPB291) must be registered as new cultivars. They can be used to insert ethylene insensitivity into susceptible cultivars.