VARIATION IN GERMINATION AMONG POPULATIONS AND PLANTS OF WILD CHILI PEPPER

Populations of wild chili pepper (Capsicum annuum var. glabriusculum) are a valuable genetic resource for agriculture and nutrition. Knowledge about the germination capacity is of great importance for its management and conservation. Therefore, we evaluated, in the laboratory, the distribution of variation among populations and plants in the germination percentage and mean germination time (T(50)) of four populations of wild C. annuum from northwest Mexico, at constant (25 degrees C) and fluctuating temperatures (25/35 degrees C). Also the variation of seed weight and its relationship with the germination capacity was examined. Populations and plants within populations differed significantly in the germination percentage and T(50) in both conditions of germination. In the germination percentage, 15.72 % of the total variation was attributed to differences among populations, 55.61 % among individuals and 15.72 % within individuals. In T(50), 23.70 % of the total variation was found among populations, 45.04 % among individuals and 31.26 % within individuals. The differences in the germination capacity among the populations were not significantly correlated with the main climate factors of the collection sites; therefore, they should be considered independent reactions to the environmental conditions of their sites of origin. The weight of seeds varied significantly among and within populations; and positively and significantly correlated with the percentage of germination in the population Alcoyonqui and with T(50) in the population Yecorato Mezquite, but negatively with T(50) in the population Yecorato Camino. This indicates that the environment of growth of mother plants influences the capacity of germination and weight of wild C. annuum seeds.