Abstract The aim of this study was to observe the genetic relationship between C. frutescens (UENF 1636) and C. chinense (UENF 1785) based on the meiotic behavior, on the meiotic index, and on pollen viability of their F1 hybrids. For meiotic analysis and meiotic index, flower buds were collected and fixed for 24 hours in ethanol: acetic acid (3:1), and then transferred to 70% ethanol, and stored in a freezer. Slides preparation for meiosis, meiotic index and pollen viability was carried out according to the laboratory’s protocol. Hybrid meiosis was regular, and 12 pairs of chromosomes were observed in diakinesis, as well as a few anomalies. The MI of 88.16%, as well as the pollen viability of 72.5%, were satisfactory. Given the results, it was confirmed the genetic proximity of these species, which are classified in the Capsicum annuum gene complex.

The objectives of this study were to estimate the crossability rate in combinations of and assess the occurrence of incompatibility barriers between Capsicum species. The species C. annuum, C. chinense, C. frutescens, C. baccatum var. pendulum, and C. baccatum var. baccatum were crossed and the number of hand-pollinations and of resulting fruits and plants was registered. The resulting hybrids were evaluated for their pollen viability and in the crosses that produced no hybrids, the in vivo germination of pollen grains was assessed. Some crosses generated hybrids, while others produced no fruit or, despite generating fruits, no plants grew from them. The crossability rate between species of the complex C. annuumand C. baccatumranged from 2.2% to 3.7%, and was 14.6% between species of the complex C. annuum.A pre-fertilization barrier was observed in the non-germination of pollen grains, as well as post-fertilization barriers consisting of embryo death, lack of vigor and hybrid sterility

Este estudo teve como objetivo caracterizar a fenologia reprodutiva do maracujazeiro-azedo no período de setembro de 2009 a setembro de 2010, nas condições do município de Campos dos Goytacazes-RJ (21° 45'W; 41°20'S). Avaliaram-se os dados referentes ao florescimento e frutificação, correlacionados com variáveis climatológicas (temperatura e pluviosidade). Uma escala para a avaliação do desenvolvimento dos estádios fenológicos reprodutivos do maracujazeiro-azedo foi proposta, com base em imagens digitalizadas de nove fenofases. Observou-se que o florescimento foi de outubro a março, meses com as maiores temperaturas médias, com pico no mês de janeiro e maior percentagem de frutos maduros no mês de fevereiro. A escala das diferentes fenofases foi útil na caracterização da fenologia reprodutiva do maracujazeiro-azedo. A variável temperatura apresentou alta correlação com o número de flores (0,87), indicando que é um agente fundamental no florescimento do maracujazeiro-azedo.

This research aimed to characterize the reproductive phenological of sour passion fruit from September 2009 to September 2010, in Campos dos Goytacazes city, Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil (21° 45'W; 41° 20'S). Data of flowering and fructification were evaluated and correlated with climatologic variables (temperature and rainfall). To evaluate phenological stages a scale was proposed based on digitals images of nine reproductive stages. The scale was useful in passion fruit reproductive phenological characterization. The flowering was of October to March, peak in January, and the peak fructification in February. The temperature showed high correlation with number of flowers (0.87), thus indicating that the temperature has an important effect in flowering of sour passion fruit.

Este estudo teve como objetivo determinar o cariótipo de quatro acessos de Capsicum chinense procedentes do Rio Janeiro, Bahia, Pará e Maranhão. Em todos os acessos, foram observados 2n=2x=24 cromossomos. Polimorfismo cromossômico foi observado no acesso procedente do Rio de Janeiro, o qual apresentou 11 pares de cromossomos metacêntricos e um par submetacêntrico, diferindo dos outros acessos, os quais apresentaram 11 pares de cromossomos metacêntricos e um par de cromossomos acrocêntrico. Todos os acessos apresentaram, em média, valores semelhantes em relação ao comprimento cromossômico. Os dados cariológicos foram submetidos a análises univariada e multivariada, com índices de dissimilaridade obtidos pela distância euclidiana média padronizada e o agrupamento pelo método de Ward, com o objetivo de estimar a divergência genética entre os acessos. A estatística multivariada usando dados citogenéticos foi efetiva para distinguir os acessos de C. chinense, considerando que foi possível alocar o acesso do Rio de Janeiro isolado dos outros acessos. Assim, o presente estudo mostrou a importância de análise multivariada em estudos de caracterização citogenética envolvendo acessos que apresentam variabilidade cromossômica.

This study had the objective to determine the karyotype of four accessions of Capsicum chinense from Rio Janeiro, Bahia, Pará e Maranhão. In all accessions were observed 2n=2x=24 chromosomes. Chromosome polymorphism was observed in the accession from Rio de Janeiro, which presented 11 pairs of metacentric and 1 submetacentric pair of chromosomes, differing from the other accessions, which presented 11 pairs of metacentric and 1 acrocentric pair chromosomes. All the accessions presented the same value, on average, of chromosome length. The karyologic data was submitted to univariate and multivariate analysis with dissimilarity indexes obtained by standardized average of Euclidean distance and grouping clustering by the Ward's method, with the objective of estimating the genetic divergence among accessions. The multivariate statistic using cytogenetic data was effective to distinguish C. chinense accessions, considering that it was possible to allocate the Rio de Janeiro accession isolated from the others accessions. So, the present study showed the importance of the multivariate statistic in cytogenetic characterization study involving accessions that present chromosome variability.

O objetivo deste trabalho foi estudar o comportamento meiótico e a viabilidade polínica em quatro acessos das espécies Capsicum annuum e Capsicum baccatum. Em todos os acessos, foram observados 12 bivalentes, confirmando o número e nível de ploidia relatados na literatura para essas espécies. Os resultados mostraram uma divisão celular normal, porém algumas anormalidades foram detectadas, tais como migração precoce dos cromossomos em metáfases I e II, cromossomos retardatários em anáfase I e divisão assincrônica. Os acessos estudados apresentaram um índice meiótico variando de 75,6 a 93,6%, e a viabilidade polínica em todos os acessos foi superior a 90%, demonstrando que as irregularidades meióticas observadas não comprometeram a viabilidade destes.

The objective of this research was to study the meiotic behavior and pollen viability in four accessions of species Capsicum annuum and Capsicum baccatum. In all accessions, twelve bivalents were observed, confirming the number and ploidy level reported in the literature for these species. The results showed a normal cell division although some abnormalities had been detected, as early chromosome migration at metaphases I and II, later chromosomes at anaphase I and asynchronous division. The studied accessions presented a meiotic index (MI) that varied from 75.6 to 93.6% and the pollen viability in all accessions was higher than 90%, demonstrating that the meiotic irregularities observed didn't affect their viability.