Seedling Emergence Behaviour and Early Seedling morphology of Tunisian Capsicum annuum Landraces

Marwa Chouikhi; Riadh Ilahy; Imen Tlili; Thouraya R’him

doi:10.24925/turjaf.v14i8.2131-2134.8772

Authors

Marwa Chouikhi Laboratory of Horticulture, National Institute of Agronomic Research of Tunisia, University of Carthage, Hèdi Karray Street, 2049 Ariana, Tunisia. https://orcid.org/0009-0005-3895-4437
Riadh Ilahy Laboratory of Horticulture, National Institute of Agronomic Research of Tunisia, University of Carthage, Hèdi Karray Street, 2049 Ariana, Tunisia. https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9405-3098
Imen Tlili Laboratory of Horticulture, National Institute of Agronomic Research of Tunisia, University of Carthage, Hèdi Karray Street, 2049 Ariana, Tunisia https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7132-1915
Thouraya R’him Laboratory of Horticulture, National Institute of Agronomic Research of Tunisia, University of Carthage, Hèdi Karray Street, 2049 Ariana, Tunisia https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5912-9982

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.24925/turjaf.v14i8.2131-2134.8772

Keywords:

Capsicum annuum, landraces, seed germination, mean germination time, cotyledon morphology

Abstract

Local pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) landraces represent an important source of genetic diversity, particularly for traits related to seed germination and early seedling development. This study aimed to evaluate emergence behavior and cotyledon morphological traits in nine Tunisian hot pepper landraces under controlled conditions. Emergence parameters, including days to emerge, emergence percentage, and mean emergence time, were recorded, while cotyledon colour, shape, length, and width were assessed at the cotyledon stage. Significant differences were observed among landraces in days to emergence and mean emergence time, indicating variation in germination kinetics and early seed vigor. Cayenne, D’hirat, Baklouti, and Kairouan exhibited faster and more synchronized emergence, whereas Semmene, Beldi, and Nabeul showed delayed emergence. Despite these differences, germination percentage remained high across all landraces (95-100%), reflecting good seed viability. Cotyledon colour and shape were uniform, with all landraces displaying green, lanceolate cotyledons; however, cotyledon length and width varied significantly, highlighting genetic diversity in early seedling morphology. These results demonstrate that germination dynamics and cotyledon traits are effective indicators of early vigor and morphological variation among local pepper landraces, providing useful criteria for germplasm characterization, conservation, and breeding programs.

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