Changes in Yield-Related Traits, Phytochemical Composition, and Antioxidant Activity of Pepper (Capsicum annuum) Depending on Its Variety, Fruit Position, and Ripening Stage
Author:
Lahbib Karima1ORCID, Bnejdi Fethi1, Pandino Gaetano2ORCID, Lombardo Sara2, El-Gazzah Mohamed1, El-Bok Safia1ORCID, Dabbou Samia34ORCID
Affiliation:
1. Laboratory of Biodiversity, Biotechnology, and Climate Changes, Faculty of Sciences of Tunis El Manar El Manar II, Tunis 2092, Tunisia 2. Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Catania, via Valdisavoia 5, 95123 Catania, Italy 3. Faculty of Dental Medicine, University of Monastir, Avicenne Street, Monastir 5019, Tunisia 4. Unit of Bioactive and Natural Substances and Biotechnology UR17ES49, Faculty of Dental Medicine of Monastir, University of Monastir, Avicenne Street, Monastir 5019, Tunisia
Abstract
The relationship between fruit position, ripening stage, and variety has not been well studied in pepper plants. To understand the interaction of these factors, a diversity of phytochemical traits as well as antioxidant activity were investigated with agronomic traits in eleven hot pepper varieties collected from the upper and lower parts of the plant and harvested at three maturity stages (green, orange, and red). Capsaicin content (CAP) showed a relatively high genetic effect; on the contrary, total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), and antioxidant activity were more affected by the ripening stage and fruit position. The CAP values ranged from 0.29 (‘FKbM’) to 0.77 (‘Bka’) mg CAP equivalents g−1 DW. The ripening stage was the predominant factor for TPC, TFC, DPPH, and FRAP. There was no significant interaction between A × FP, A × RS, and FP × RS for all agro-morphological fruit traits. Variety, fruit position, and ripening stage effects are more significant than all interactions calculated. Lower fruit positions in all samples showed a maximum fruit size, whereas phytochemical traits and yield per plant were relevant in the upper parts, and Phytochemical traits and yield per plant were significantly correlated. From PCA and cluster analysis, all varieties showed the highest biochemical and antioxidant levels with moderate fruit size, except the ‘Bel’ variety that showed the smallest fruit traits with high yields, and the ‘FKbM’ and ‘FKbK’ varieties that showed the highest fruit size but low yields. This study supplies information to identify interesting cultivars with considerable levels of bioactive and phytochemical metabolites, which is useful for breeding programs of novel varieties.
Subject
Plant Science,Health Professions (miscellaneous),Health (social science),Microbiology,Food Science
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