Standardization of Rootstocks for Yield and Quality in Sweet Pepper (Capsicum annuum L.)

Background: The present study was conducted during kharif-2022 (June to September) to assess the graft compatibility of two capsicum hybrids with different chilli rootstocks and their effects on growth, yield and quality. Methods: The experiment was carried out in FRBD with 16 treatments, including seven rootstocks and two scions, replicated thrice in greenhouse. Result: Graft success rate varied between 82.67% and 96.67%, with the highest rate observed in commercial capsicum hybrid-1grafted on CRS-2 and commercial capsicum hybrid-2 on CRS-1. Among all combinations, commercial capsicum hybrid-2 grafted on CRS-7 showed superior performance in plant height (103.47cm), pericarp thickness (0.53mm), number of branches (10.13) and earliness in flowering (22.33 days). It also recorded the highest fruit yield per plant (3.43 kg), per plot (34.33 kg) and per hectare (54.74 t/ha). The lowest yield was recorded in non-grafted commercial capsicum hybrid-1 (2.41 kg/plant, 38.39 t/ha). No significant differences were found in TSS content across grafts. However, commercial capsicum hybrid-1 grafted on CRS-6 had the highest titratable acidity (0.17%). The findings confirmed that grafting positively influences growth and yield in capsicum, with commercial capsicum hybrid-2 grafted on CRS-7 emerging as the most promising combination.