Changes in the carotenoids and vitamin C content of pepper fruit during development were investigated with three cultivars and their F₁hybrids. The accumulation pattern of one carotenoid was fairly similar to that of another kind of carotenoid, show...
Changes in the carotenoids and vitamin C content of pepper fruit during development were investigated with three cultivars and their F₁hybrids. The accumulation pattern of one carotenoid was fairly similar to that of another kind of carotenoid, showing a remarkably increasing trand from 6~7 weeks after flowering until the red ripening stage. At the ripening stage, Capsanthin proved to be the most prominent carotenoid and the β-carotene the next prominent.
Vitamin C content varied from one stage of fruit~ripe to another. The high peaks appeared 3-weeks after flowering when the fruit growth is vigourous and 7-weeks after flowering when the fruit ripening begins. It was low from 4 through 6 weeks after flowering when the seeds are maturing.
The genetic effects of parental cultivars on the phenotype of F₁hybrids with regard to the carotenoids and vitamin C content of the ripened fuit were studied by a diallel cross analysis with six cultivars. Mean value of the total carotenoids content of all hybrids were 7% more than that of parental lines. In general, a positive heterosis was observed in carotenoids content. Twoeleve out of the 30 combinations showed same or higher content than their higher parents. Vitamin C contents showed a continuous variation among the parental lines and hybrids. Mean value of parental lines was similar to that of all hybrids, indicatory no significant heterosis phenomenon. However nine out of 30 hybrids showed the same or higher parents; implying dominance and or epistasis in some cross combination.
General combining ability in carotenoids as well as vitamin C content significantly differed among parents. However, both specific combining ability and cytoplasmie effect were not significant.
A significant negative correlation(r=-0.752)was observed between the fresh fuit weight and the total carotenoid content of fruit while a positive correlation(r=0.688) was identified between the fresh fruit weight and vitamin C content.