Changes in fruit quality of paprika and color pimento ( Capsicum annuum L.) stored at low temperatures.

摘要

The Capsicum genus originating in the tropics is susceptible to chilling injury (CI) at temperatures below 7 degrees C. The extent of CI depends on cultivar and time of exposure. This study evaluated the response of paprika and colour pimento fruits to low temperatures in an attempt to understand the nature of physiological deterioration resulting from CI. Fully matured paprikas, 'Plenty' and 'Confetti', and pimento fruits, 'GT-R' and 'GT-Y', in red and yellow colors were stored at 1 or 8 degrees C for 20 d. Both type of varieties in different colors stored at 1 and 8 degrees C showed a slight decline in fruit firmness and fresh weight. Yellow pimento showed the highest flesh firmness loss at 1 degrees C and the highest fresh weight loss at 8 degrees C after 20 d of storage. Soluble solids content (SSC) remained constant after storage at both temperatures, indicating that SSC was not significantly affected by storage temperature. A greater rise in electrolyte leakage rate was observed in all cultivars stored at 1 degrees C than at 8 degrees C. 'Plenty' stored at 1 and 8 degrees C for 20 d had the highest electrolyte leakage rate followed by 'GT-Y' at the same storage conditions.