@article{OLATUNJI_MORAKINYO_2016, title={Pollen Grain and Hybridization Studies in the Genus Capsicum}, volume={8}, url={https://www.notulaebiologicae.ro/index.php/nsb/article/view/9767}, DOI={10.15835/nsb819767}, abstractNote={<p style="text-align: justify;">The current study aimed to evaluate the pollen viability of the commonly cultivated varieties of<em> Capsicum</em> species and assessed the potentials for gene exchange among the genotypes through hybridization studies. <em>Capsicum annuum</em> var. <em>abbreviatum</em>, <em>C. annuum </em>var.<em> acuminatum</em>,<em> C. annuum </em>var.<em> grossum </em>and <em>C. frutescens </em>var. <em>baccatum </em>were the species and varieties used in this study. The present findings indicated that the percentage of pollen viability varied in the studied<em> Capsicum</em> genotypes. The highest pollen viability was obtained in <em>C. annuum</em> var. <em>abbreviatum</em> (96.3%), followed by <em>C. annuum</em> var. <em>grossum </em>(95%), and <em>C. annuum</em> var. <em>acuminatum</em> (91.1%). The lowest pollen viability was recorded in <em>C. frutescens</em> var. <em>baccatum</em> (86.2%). The pollen viability was high in most varieties indicating that meiosis is normal, resulting in viable pollen grains. Several intraspecific and interspecific crosses were performed among the <em>Capsicum</em> genotypes and three putative hybrid fruits were produced. Percentage successes obtained in the crosses were low and comparable in both intra and inter-specific crosses. In the entire crosses pattern, pollination success of 10% was recorded for <em>C</em>. <em>frutescens</em> var. <em>baccatum</em> and <em>C.</em> <em>annuum</em> var. <em>acuminatum</em>. Knowing the nature and viability of pollen grains may help in predicting the success rate of hybridization and the successful crosses between <em>C. frutescens</em> var. <em>baccatum and C. annuum</em> var. <em>acuminatum </em>suggest that these two varieties are the closest genetically.</p>}, number={1}, journal={Notulae Scientia Biologicae}, author={OLATUNJI, Tomi Lois and MORAKINYO, Joseph Akintade}, year={2016}, month={Mar.}, pages={134–138} }