Influence of Postharvest Temperatures on Carotenoid Biosynthesis and Phytochemicals in Mature Green Chili (Capsicum annuum L.).

ABSTRACT: An intense red color appearance in hot chili is what industry commonly demands. The harvested mature green "Takanotsume" chili, a popular cultivar in Japan, incubated at 20 and 30 °C is investigated. At 30 °C, the chili rapidly degraded chlorophylls and obtained an intense red color, but presented an orange-red color at 20 °C. The sample showed higher carotenoid accumulations at 30 °C, along with significantly upregulated carotenoid biosynthesis-related genes-phytoene synthase (Psy), lycopene-?-cyclase (Lcyb), ?-carotene hydroxylase (CrtZ), and capsanthin/capsorubin synthase (Ccs)-during the experiment. While the expression of the Ccs gene was reduced, there was a 5.5-fold upregulation of the Psy gene at the end of incubation. At 20 °C, the Psy gene was downregulated. These observations suggest that the expression of individual genes is temperature-dependent, and these would affect specific carotenoid compounds. The antioxidant capacity (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl; DPPH and ferric-reducing antioxidant power; FRAP) values had no difference between temperatures; the higher content of total phenolics and vitamin C presented in the chili at 30 °C probably corresponds to the advanced ripening process. Thus, 30 °C is the recommended incubation temperature for mature green chili to achieve the industry-demanded intense red color and high accumulation of phytochemicals.

SUBMITTER: Pola W 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7139383 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature