The influence of ethephon applied before harvesting on vitamin C, reducing sugars, protein total, and carotenoids content in the fruits of sweet pepper PCR (Capsicum annuum L.)

Abstract

Changes were examined in vitamin C, protein total, reducing sugars, and carotenoids content in fruits of sweet pepper treated with ethephon (2-chloroethylphosphonic acid) before harvesting the fruits. The obtained results show that epplying ethephon caused an increase in vitamin C and carotenoids total content in fruits of pepper harvested 35 days after spraying. With an increase of xantophyll concentration (capsanthin + capsorubin) effected by ethephon, a decrease in ß-carotene occurred, and with an increase in the amount of ß-carotene a decrease in the amount of red carotenoids in pepper fruits was found.