Abstract

Pepper (Capsicum sp.) is one of the most popular and widely grown vegetables in Nigeria. A total of one hundred and fifty germplasm collections were characterised, evaluated and conserved in the National Horticultural Research Institute, Ibadan Nigeria. Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis was performed on selected forty accessions of Capsicum annum and Capsicum fructences to estimate genetic diversity and taxonomic relationships. Cluster analysis using UPGMA seperated the accessions into four major groups. Based on the morphological and molecular data, remarkable difference was exhibited by the Capsicum accessions.

Key words: RAPD, genetic diversity, Capsicum.