ANATOMICAL AND PHYSIOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF SEED IN PEPPER (Capsicum annuum L.) VARIETIES

Abstract

Received: 17 April, 2001; accepted: 31 July, 2001 A study was conducted on the seed of eight commercial pepper varieties developed at the Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops, Novi Sad, Yugoslavia. The analysis of anatomical parameters observed on dissected seeds indicated the presence of significant quantitative differences between the varieties. Significant differences also existed in the dynamics of germination. The analysed seeds did not differ in the contents of nitrogen, phosphorus and sodium, but variability was recorded for the potassium and calcium contents. The variety Atina had the highest contents of macroelements and total ash. The oil content in the seed ranged from 10.78% to 21.00% (in Vranjska and Matica, respectively). The quantities of fatty acids varied from one variety to the other, but there were no qualitative differences. Pepper seeds had high average contents of unsaturated fatty acids, especially linoleic and oleic (61.00% and 12.8%, respectively).