Influence of temperature and 1-methylcyclopropene on post-production display life of ornamental pepper (Capsicum annuum L.)

• Published in: Acta horticulturae no. 1002; pp. 359 - 363
• Main Authors: Cavatte, R.P.Q, Lima, J. da S, Silva, T.P. da, Cavette, P.C, Finger, F.L, Barbosa, J.G
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: International Society for Horticultural Science 01.01.2013
• Subjects: 1-methylcyclopropene; Capsicum annuum; carotenoids; catalase; chlorophyll; cultivars; ethylene; fruits; fumigation; heat stress; leaf abscission; leaves; light intensity; ornamental plants; pepper; peppers; peroxidase; photoperiod; pigments; pretreatment; shipping; temperature
• ISSN: 0567-7572
• DOI: 10.17660/actahortic.2013.1002.48

Potted ornamental peppers are very popular among Brazilian’s consumers; however, there are only a few works regarding the use of adapted cultivars to be grown in small pots and the environmental factors affecting their post-production display life. In a previous work it was established that the cultivar ‘BGH 1039’, held at the Federal University of Viçosa, Brazil, is adapted to be sold as an ornamental plant, but it is sensitive to the action of ethylene, causing yellowing and abscission of leaves and drop of fruits, even when exposed to relatively low levels of ethylene. This experiment had the goal to evaluate the effects of 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) on plants kept under low irradiance or in darkness at high temperature of 35°C for 48 hours, simulating the prevailing shipping conditions in Brazil. Control plants kept in the dark had significant drop in the chlorophyll and carotenoid contents at the end of the 48 hours of heat stress. But, no significant decrease of the pigments was detected when the plants were kept in the light. Fumigation with 1 μl L-1 1-MCP overcame the effect of the dark in inducing the chlorophyll and carotenoid degradation, and significantly increased content of the pigments when stored in the low irradiance light condition. Storage in the dark at 35°C for 48 hours induced abscission of 79.7% of the leaves, but only 9.4% of leaf abscission was observed when 1-MCP was applied. Storing the plants under light and heat stress induced leaf abscission of 16.2%, but the leaf drop was completely inhibited when the plants were treated with 1-MCP. Regardless the light regime and pre-treatment with 1-MCP, all plants had significant increase of the peroxidase and catalase activities after 48 hours at 35°C.