906-915Sustainability of crops in most demand depends upon their genetic diversity. Capsicum, commonly called chilli, is one
such crop with its fruits extensively used as vegetable across the world. Knowledge on various traits is important for genetic
improvement of such species. Here, we assessed the genetic diversity among 10 genotypes of six Capsicum species, namely
Capsicum annuum, C. chinense, C. chacoense, C. frutescens, C. tovarii and C. galapagoense. C. annuum MS-12 is a genetic
male sterile line. We used morphological descriptors and simple-sequence repeat (SSR) molecular markers for this study.
Out of 60 SSR screened, 22 markers (36.66%) showed polymorphism. Alleles number per locus varied from 3 to 7. Average
PIC value for 22 polymorphic markers was 0.69, and ranged from 0.54 for the primer Hpms 1-139 to 0.85 for the primer
CAMS-072. Ten genotypes of Capsicum species were grouped into three major clusters such that genotypes in a single
cluster had less dissimilarity matrix values among themselves than which belongs to other clusters. Range of fruit weight
and pericarp thickness varied from 0.1 g (‘PAU-621’) to 2.3 g (‘MS-12’), and from 0.29 mm (‘PAU-621’) to1.09 mm (‘MS12’),
respectively. These two genotypes can be used in hybridization or in recombinant breeding program for obtaining
higher heterotic effects/ heterosis or for transgressive segregants in chilli pepper